Three people have been prosecuted for spitting for the first time in more 20 years.

Six months after Enfield Borough Council became the first council in the country to ban the act, three people have now been fined for spitting.

Iqbal Chowdhury, 29, of St James Road, in Edmonton, and Dawid Patrycjusz Toczek, 29, of Winchester Road, in Edmonton, both pleaded guilty to the offence and have been fined £90.

Tyrone Obanishola, 18, of Volta Close, in Edmonton, was found guilty after the case was proved in his absence and ordered to pay a £160 fine, a £20 victim surcharge and £100 costs.

Enfield Council’s cabinet member for environment, Councillor Chris Bond, said: “This news demonstrates our commitment to stamping out spitting once and for all.

“The message is simple if you spit in Enfield we’ll prosecute you, it is a truly disgusting habit and one that we absolutely will not tolerate in this borough.”

Enfield Council’s cabinet member for finance and property, Councillor Andrew Stafford, said: “This result is the culmination of years of work. We are not prepared to allow people to drench our pavements with spit and we will continue to pursue and prosecute people who engage in this disgusting habit.”

The bye-law was brought in on December 17, 2013, after a campaign by the Over 50’s Forum saw more than 4,000 people sign a petition in favour of banning spitting.

The trio were sentenced at Tottenham Magistrates Court on Thursday, May 22 after being spotted spitting in the street by Enfield Council enforcement officers.