SIX men will have to pay nearly £2,000 between them after they were caught spending a penny in public in York city centre.

One urinated in public during normal shopping hours, another in the doorway of a sweetshop.

Four pleaded guilty by letter, the other two did not respond to their summons.

Each was ordered to pay £144 prosecution costs and a £30 statutory surcharge, plus a fine which York magistrates adjusted according to their income if they knew it.

Emlyn Thomas, 37, of Sutton Way, Clifton, was convicted in his absence of urinating against a wall at 11.25am on February 13. He lives on benefits and was fined £60.

Paul Raymond Baldwin, 33, of Temple Street, Gateshead, admitted urinating in a sweetshop doorway in Low Ousegate at 7.45pm on February 2, and was fined £131.

Edward Stableford, 50, of Holyrood Drive, Rawcliffe, admitted urinating at a car park entrance in Toft Green at 11.35pm on February 1 and was fined £294.

Andrew Brearley, 47, of Wistow Road, Selby, admitted urinating near a car park entrance in Tanner Row, at 9pm on February 2 and Patrick John McHugh, 30, of Carr Lane, York, admitted urinating against a wall near Toft Green at 3.30am on January 26. Both were fined £117 each.

George James McCormick, 18, of Mill Lane, Basted, Sevenoaks, Kent, was convicted in his absence of urinating against a gate in Toft Green at 12.15am on January 18 and was fined £220.

All six will pay in total £1,983 and were prosecuted by City of York Council.