“I’ve been back there filming for the local TV news, and it was windy again - a leaf smacked me right in the face while we were walking so it could have happened again today.”
While the penalty was reduced to £150 (NZ$345) on appeal, his wife Anne was disappointed a reprimand had even been given in the first place.
“Roy didn’t spit - how many 86-year-olds do you know who go around spitting? It’s a dirty habit.
“This really upset him. We’ve watched these officers approach many older people since. It’s like they are bullies.”
On November 2, their daughter Jane Marsh Fitzpatrick posted to Facebook, detailing a second incident in which her father was seemingly being observed by the officers while removing a tissue from his pocket.
“Mum and dad now regularly watch these officers, and have seen them many times victimising older people,” she wrote.
Skegness county councillor Adrian Findley told the BBC enforcement officers are “taking it too far”.
“There needs to be discretion about how they issue fines. We can’t expect elderly people to chase crisp packers down the road if it’s windy.
“If it looks like a genuine accident then give people opportunity to apologise and pick it up.”
