Landlord defiant after first English smoking ban conviction

A pub landlord was fined £500 (€719) and ordered to pay £2,000 (€2,876) prosecution costs today after he admitted flouting the smoking ban in public places in England.

Hamish Howitt, 55, of Blackpool, Lancashire, is the first publican in the country to be convicted of breaching the legislation, which came into effect on July 1.