An independent businessman has refused to leave after a council fined him for illegally trading outside Witham train station.

Shamik Suryakant Rao, 45, of Glebefield Road, Hatfield Peverel, was fined £1,000 for four counts of street trading without consent.

Kind hearted customers have been flocking to support the trader, and even set up a crowdfunding page to raise cash towards his fine, after hearing of the action by Braintree Council.

Mr Rao said: “It is a lot of money to me and would be to anyone.

“I am touched that my customers would do that.

“You see fundraisers all the time, but you do not expect one for yourself.

“We are very lucky to have the customers we do.”

Mr Rao has hit out at Braintree Council’s licensing department, claiming he was not told of the charges against him.

He said: “I wasn’t even aware that I had to go to court, it was only when customers started telling me about it I heard.

“I believe this stems from certain traders complaining I was affecting their business.

“I think they need to wake up and smell the coffee, they have been misled by other traders - I do not steal business from other people. There is nowhere you can buy newspapers at the station except us.

“My business is a tremendous use to the community, commuters, factory workers, taxi drivers and residents.”

Braintree Council said Mr Rao was hand delivered a court summons on January 26.

A spokesman said: “The summons included a detail which explained the reason why the case was being brought against Mr Rao, the date, time and location of where Mr Rao was to present himself. “

Mr Rao claims the charges relate to the sale of hot drinks from his vehicle in Albert Road, Witham.

The newspaper stand has been trading outside Witham Station for around 70 years.

Mr Suryakant was prosecuted over licensing rules in May 2016, and also lost an appeal against Braintree Council in September 2016.

The latest fine relates to his activities in August and September. He was also ordered to pay £700 in costs and a £100 victim surcharge in his absence at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Donate at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/glenn-randall.