Redbridge Council has become the first local authority in London to issue a fixed penalty notice for sexual harassment.

The £100 fine was issued last Friday using the council’s Public Space Protection Order to enforce against catcalling and harassment.

Redbridge Enforcement Officers witnessed the harassment and detained the man responsible with the help of the local police.

The leader of Redbridge Council and London Councils’ executive member for Crime and Public Protection, Cllr Jas Athwal, said: ‘We are the first council in London using our Public Space Protection Order to enforce against catcalling and harassment. We’re supporting covert police operations in the borough to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

‘This fine is a strong start and will serve as a statement of intent. We will not tolerate harassment of women and girls and will target those men who do not heed this warning. We’re reclaiming our streets for our local communities and ending the culture of misogyny that starts with harassment and escalates to violence.’

The PSPO was created initially to empower Council Enforcement Officers to fine people soliciting sex.

Cllr Khayer Chowdhury, cabinet member for Crime, Safety and Community Cohesion, said: ‘This is a working partnership between Redbridge Council and the Met Police to tackle the on-street harassment of women and girls – a commitment we made as part of our response to the Redbridge Crime Commission. Women and girls have an absolute right to walk our streets without being catcalled and harassed by men and working with the Police, and we are showing zero tolerance.’