TODAY the Evening Times hits back at those who have criticised us for naming and shaming Glasgow�s litter louts.

By MARIANNE TAYLOR

TODAY the Evening Times hits back at those who have criticised us for naming and shaming Glasgow's litter louts.

As we publish another 500 names of offenders, we stand by our decision and vow to continue the fight against grime crime.

By early next week, we'll have printed the names of more than 2000 offenders, all of whom have admitted their guilt by paying a £50 fine.

The Roll of Dishonour will also be published on the city council's website.

Those caught have added to Glasgow's horrendous clean-up bill - £16million a year - by dropping litter, discarding cigarette ends, allowing their dogs to foul or fly-tipping.

And we have no hesitation in telling our readers exactly who they are.

Well done Evening Times!

THESE are some of the e-mail points from readers on our naming and shaming policy:

PAUL: "Well done to the Evening Times! These crimes might seem trivial but they cause a great deal of trouble. If people see litter strewn about the streets then they seem to think it's OK to do it too, because it won't make a difference - WRONG!

CHARLES FRECK, Glasgow: "Printing names and addresses without the person's consent is an infringement of civil liberties. Shame on you for treating your readers like a dumbed-down lynch mob."

BIG AL, Glasgow: "I fully back the naming and shaming policy. If that's what's needed to create a change in attitudes to litter, then so be it."

VERA SMART: "The litter droppers have already been fined, so this attempt at public humiliation amounts to a second punishment. It's unjust and wrong."

IAN, Glasgow: "About time this happened! I'm fed up seeing people dropping litter with no regard for the rest of us. Well done for getting the ball rolling."

STMONAN, Glasgow: "This degree of public ridicule for someone who has received a £50 fine is completely disproportionate."

PUSKAS, East Kilbride: "The Evening Times is correct in naming and shaming the litter louts ... double the fines!"

TMITCH, Glasgow: "Naming and shaming these people is ridiculous. A £50 fine is more than enough. Serious criminals get more rights than this."

JOHN MCEWAN, Glasgow: "Well done, Evening Times. How about extending it to the worst school culprits - the litter caused by our local secondary is a disgrace."

Since we started naming and shaming earlier this week, we've had an unprecedented response from readers.

The vast majority - 74% of the 1400 who voted in our recent online poll for example - fully support our zero-tolerance stance.

However, not everyone agrees, and we've had e-mails and phone calls from bitter litter louts who didn't want to see their names in the paper.

One, Richard Jolly, said: "I have not dropped litter since my fine. I fail to see how it can be in the public interest to name me."

We've also heard from some law-abiding readers who think we are wrong to publish the list.

One comment left on the Evening Times website said: "These people have been caught and punished for their actions.

"Why does the Evening Times feel it necessary to further publicly humiliate ordinary people?"

Evening Times Editor Donald Martin said today: "We published to highlight the unacceptable actions of those who blight our community and to, hopefully, discourage others from doing so.

"We have repeatedly warned the public we would name and shame - even before the litter wardens were in place.

"You were well warned and have only yourself to blame. That view has been echoed by the overwhelming positive response to our naming and shaming."

Even some of those who dropped litter have admitted being fined has made them more careful.

Fiona Young, an office manager with a company of architects in Glasgow, was fined after she dropped a cigarette end outside Central Station.

She said: "It did teach me a lesson.

"I've never dropped a cigarette end since then."

Gene Ferguson, 52, from Dalmellington, Ayrshire, who was fined for dropping a cigarette butt in Gordon Street, said: "I suppose it will help Glasgow get a bit cleaner in the long-run."

Our campaign has also won cross-party political support, with MSPs Sandra White (SNP), Paul Martin (Labour) and Bill Aitken (Conservative) backing the move.

City council leader Steven Purcell said: "I make no apologies for taking the decision to name and shame those people who have defaced our city's streets.

"Naming and shaming is, and always has been, part of our zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour in the city and we are committed to continuing this."

The Evening Times is not alone in shaming law breakers -fare dodgers on Newcastle's Metro system are named and shamed by transport firm Nexus.