TOI correspondent from London: Two Indian-origin men have been fined more than £1,000 for spitting betel leaves in London’s Brent area, prompting a campaign to stop the problem.Akshitkumar Bhadre Patel (31), resident of Edgware, was fined £1,391 (Rs 1.7 lakh) by the North West London Magistrates Court earlier this month. He failed to appear at his hearing and the case was proved in his absence. He was convicted of spitting paan on the road in Kingsbury on June 11, 2025. The fine is £100 (Rs 12,000), but he did not pay it and was taken to court, increasing it to £1,391. Hitesh Patel, 32, of Ruislip, was also fined £1,391 at the same court for spitting paan on the road in Wembley Hill on June 12, 2025. He also did not come for the hearing.Brent Council spends more than £30,000 (Rs 37 lakh) a year on cleaning betel spit, which even high-powered industrial jets are unable to clear. Enforcement officers patrol daily and are prepared to issue a fine of £100 to anyone caught spitting betel leaves. If it is not paid the council can prosecute.
