NOT one person has been caught defecating, spitting or urinating in the street since the introduction of a £75 on-the-spot fine.

In June, Brighton and Hove City Council expanded its fining scheme which was previously reserved for litter-bugs, graffiti and dog mess.

It announced that human defecation, spitting and urinating would be punished too under its fines for “extreme antisocial behaviour”.

The move came after a rise in complaints to the council about these types of deeply offensive activities.

But, two months on, no one has received a fine, a council spokeswoman confirmed.

Councillor Dawn Barnett, Conservative representative for Hangleton and Knoll ward, said: “They’ll say we haven’t watched anyone doing it – but that’s rubbish.

“People are spitting all the time, it’s a filthy habit.

“If I catch anyone doing it, I say to them ‘did you not want that? Because I didn’t want it either’.”

At the time of the fine’s introduction, Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chairwoman of the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, promised a no tolerance approach.

She said: “Spitting, urinating and defecating are regarded by a vast majority of people as

antisocial habits and can have a number of dangerous health implications.

“With a rise in these activities coupled with a surge in the number of complaints we receive, we want to make it clear that

this behaviour will not be tolerated.”

The council’s environmental enforcement officers can issue Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) fines to individuals for littering, flytipping, fly-posting, graffiti, dog mess and the uncontrolled distribution of leaflets as well as spitting, urinating and defecating in the street.

The fines are issued in an attempt to keep the city’s streets, parks and open spaces clean and tidy.

They are issued under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Despite failing to issue a single ticket for spitting, defecating or urinating, the council has been successful in pursuing the city’s litterbugs.

Brighton man Nathaniel McKenzie Peck pleaded guilty to fly-tipping near his home in Preston Road.

He was fined £680 after pleading guilty to the offence.

Shannon Russell, from Bridge Close, was fined a total of £870 after dropping a cigarette in George Street, Hove.

She had given a false name and address and then failed to attend court.

A council spokeswoman said: “The fines are given out, by law, in a bid to keep the city’s streets, parks and open spaces clean and tidy.

“Under Government guidelines, the council isn’t allowed to use enforcement as a way of making money.

“The environmental enforcement service is funded by income raised from the FPNs.

“Any extra money from collecting fines is reinvested into improving rubbish and recycling services.”