A “LITTER COP” ended up being prosecuted after challenging a man who had dropped a cigarette in the street.

Blackburn magistrates heard during a confrontation Kingdom enforcement officer Faiz Chopdat knocked the other man’s phone out of his hand causing it to smash.

Chopdat, 40, of no fixed address but formerly of Walter Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a Samsung mobile phone belonging to Mohammed Ishfaq in Blackburn on March 27.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.

Duncan Nightingale, defending, said the incident started when Mr Ishfaq discarded a cigarette end on the pavement and Chopdat, in his capacity as an agency officer, challenged him and started to issue a fixed penalty.

“Mr Ishfaq then started to film my client on his mobile phone,” said Mr Nightingale.

“The job he was doing is on a par with being a traffic warden in terms of public popularity.

"These things often get posted on social media and he didn’t want that.”

Mr Nightingale said Chopdat tried to walk away but Mr Ishfaq followed him, still filming.

“In trying to get him away from his personal space he knocked the phone out of his hand,” said Mr Nightinglae.

“He doesn't do that job anymore.”