Father thanks supporters after €5,000 fine cancelled

A MAN whose online petition received more than 10,800 signatures has been informed that a fine of almost €5,000 he faced for selling bread has been cancelled.

As recently reported in EWN, Ricardo – a 50-year-old jobless man from Malaga – had been fined €3,301 in 2012 for selling bread without a licence at local markets.

Although he had explained that he had no income and was unable to pay the fine but willing to carry out community work to pay for his offence, the Junta de Andalucia regional government had refused the proposal.

Now the council has stepped in and arranged for the fine, which including interest amounted to almost €5,000, to be cancelled.

“I want to thank the authorities for getting involved,” Ricardo said after receiving a call with the good news.

The grateful father also wished to thank everyone who had shown support over the internet and explained that people from as far away as South America had been in touch.

“People told me to open a bank account for them to make donations to, but I wasn’t looking for charity, just support,” Ricardo explained.