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A mum-of-three was fined €150 after she tore up an election candidate’s leaflets in front of him.

Michelle Byrne, 32, was distraught when a litter warden arrived at her door the day after her confrontation with Gerry Sheridan.

She said she was fed up with politicians calling and reacted strongly to the Labour councillor on the hustings.

She couldn’t believe it when the “littering” was reported and the council set about fining her.

Ms Byrne, from Mullingar, Westmeath, Co Westmeath, said: “It was clearly payback time, as I challenged the person.

"Is this what householders can expect from local politicians, if we don’t smile at them, and be nice?

“What I did wasn’t personal, I was just fed up with people looking for my vote, and I’m disillusioned with the whole political scene.

" I’ve had too many real problems to worry about with three young children.

“I couldn’t believe an official would call next day, and talk about “an incident” to me.

“He must have been informed the night before or next morning. How am I supposed to pay this fine?

“I picked up the pieces of paper and put them into the bin. One of them must have blown away.”

Ms Byrne said the following day a litter warden arrived.

She said: “I was concerned she was taking photos of my house, so I confronted her, and asked about it.

“The warden produced a section of the leaflet, and spoke about ‘an incident’ with a candidate the previous day.

“The green common area in front of the house is covered in fast food and plastic bags.

"The litter warden went out of the way to find that piece of paper to issue the fine.”

But Cllr Sheridan claimed he was acting in the interest of the local people.

He told the Irish Mirror: “I didn’t have any run in. She was quite aggressive towards me. She littered the roadway.

“I didn’t mind that. I’m more thick skinned than that. The next day I got a call from irate residents.

“There are problems with illegal dumping.

" I didn’t act on my own volition. I acted on behalf of the residents.

"I reported her directly to Westmeath County Council. The residents rang me. I got two calls. I’ve nothing personal against her.

“The story that she put it [leaflet] back in a bin is incorrect.

“I wasn’t aggressive with her at all. I’ve enough to be doing than dealing with this.

“I, as a public representative, work on behalf of the people of Westmeath.”

The mum has vowed not to pay the fine and will fight it instead.

Cllr Sheridan said it was now a matter between the council and Ms Byrne.