THREE men have been made to pay fines after attempting to collect passengers or sell dodgy tickets at Reading Festival.

Billy Thompson, Fahad Shabbir and Mohammed Khan were all caught by members of the council's licensing team.

Thompson, from Battersea, was convicted of touting tickets at Reading Magistrates' Court on April 27. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £870.

On the same day, Shabbir admitted to plying for hire on Richfield Avenue and was fined £450. Khan was sentenced for a similar offence more recently on April 30 and was made to pay costs of more than £2,000.

Councillor Sarah Hacker, lead member for Consumer Services, said: “It is not a surprise that some people try to cash in on the large crowds which come to the Reading Festival every year and it is important our officers are out there doing what they can to protect festival-goers from illegal activity.”