JD Sports fined for plastering Manchester city centre with posters

The company put up posters on Market Street, Princess Street and Mosley Street

Retail giant JD Sports has been fined after admitting it plastered a city centre with illegal posters.

Manchester City Council brought a prosecution after finding more than 30 posters for the firm's Size? brand on street furniture and buildings.

The company pleaded guilty to fly-posting and stated staff had been "re-educated", a council spokesman said.

He said the retailer, which declined to comment, was ordered to pay a £7,500 fine and costs.

The council's environmental crimes team wrote to the company after finding the posters and invited them to an interview under caution.

'Extremely disappointing'

The authority spokesman said that in a written response, the firm admitted responsibility and said it had made staff "aware of what was and was not acceptable", but chose not to attend the interview.

He said that as a result, legal action was taken.

At a hearing, JD Sports pleaded guilty to five fly-posting offences and said the employee responsible for the campaign had left the company.

They were fined £7,500 and ordered to pay court costs of £716, plus a victim surcharge of £150.

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar said it was "extremely disappointing" that an "established company chose to ignore the law in this way".

"It isn't acceptable to treat the city centre in this way and we will not to hesitate to bring prosecutions to protect our streets," he said.