A group of litterbugs have collectively been fined more than £10,000 for dropping cigarette butts and other items.

The 22 incidents took place between October and November last year across the Medway towns.

At East Berkshire Magistrates’ Court on Friday, one person pleaded guilty while the others were convicted in their absence.

The following were ordered to pay £458 for dropping a cigarette butt at Medway services in Gillingham in November: Richard Baker, 53, from Nottingham; Sarah Gibbs, 41, from London; Steve Griffin, 61, of Sidney Road, Gillingham; Karl Lowe, 42, of Farnham Close, Rainham; Andrew Silk, 65, from Staines; Thomas Tobin, 53, from London and Aleksandra Kaczmarek, 34, of Pavilion Court, Folkestone.

Matthew Fisher, 42, from Chelmsford was ordered to pay £616 for the same offence.

Ten offenders were fined £458 after being caught dropping cigarette butts across Chatham town centre in the same month.

They included Roberta Williams, 60, of Symons Avenue, Chatham; Kelly Breed, 35, of Whyman Avenue, Chatham; Paul Coomber, 57, of High Street, Chatham; Karl Downard, 56, of Camden Close, Chatham; Marius Gorea, 38, of Brompton Lane, Strood; Paul Reeve, 54, of Nile Road, Gillingham; Stacey Wallace, 36, of Humber Crescent, Strood; Charlie Bugden-Tilford, 18, of Heathland View, Chatham; Rachel Marie Manley, 35, of Magpie Hall Road, Chatham and Amy Green, 35, from Croydon.

Maxine Ashby, 34, of Mercury Close, Rochester, was also asked to pay the same amount but after dropping a coffee cup in Maidstone Road, Chatham on November 18.

Charlotte Trotter, 32, of Derwent Way, Rainham and Colin Ross, 57, of Old School Court, Chattenden Lane must pay £458 after dropping cigarette butts in Darland Avenue, Gillingham and High Street, Rochester, respectively, on November 25.

Another litterer – Victoria Pearce, 41, of Tedder Avenue, Chatham – was convicted on June 14 at Medway Magistrates’ Court. She was ordered to pay £510 after she was seen dropping a cigarette butt in Maidstone Road, Chatham on October 29.