WHEN a law enforcement officer called at a couple's home in Forde Park, Newton Abbot, they thought it was a Beadle's About television programme wind-up. He told them their son had been seen by a high-ranking Teignbridge Council official throwing a cigarette butt out of a car window, writes John Balment. Their 24-year-old son no longer lives with his parents, but the officer asked for a £50 fixed penalty fine, and was given their son's mobile telephone number to get in touch with him. His mother said they had asked for the identity of the person who reported it and the evidence, but none had been forthcoming from the district authority. 'Surely everyone is entitled to know what the evidence is or he is found guilty before there is any proof. The £50 has not yet been paid because we want to see the papers. 'My family feel it is Big Brother. It is too extreme. If my son had thrown major litter out of his car, then stop him and fine him. 'We just think this is unjust and that it is another form of taxation,' she added. She said she was not criticising the recent Airfusion music festival in Courtenay Park, which was very good, but thousands of cigarette butts were dropped there. 'Every weekend you get vandals in Forde Park, you get major litter thrown around and under age drinking. 'When you see so often that nothing is done about that and you hit the law abiding for something so trivial as this, I think they will just lose interest. My son has always worked and this has just knocked the stuffing out of him,' she said.