Ministers announce clampdown on fine dodgers
People who fail to pay fines enforced by the courts or police will face a tougher range of penalties, ministers will announce today.
Fine defaulters could have their wages or benefits automatically docked or see their vehicles clamped under new measures to be announced by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, during a visit to a court in West Yorkshire.
The Government says that the cost of unpaid fines runs into tens of millions of pounds every year and Prime Mnister Tony Blair has reportedly made the clampdown a priority in an attempt to restore public confidence in the justice system, which traditionally has a poor record of retrieving fine payments from offenders.
The proposals are aimed at those who have a history of failing to pay fines, be they penalties imposed by the court, “on the spot” fines or penalties issued for parking or traffic offences.
Under the new regime, magistrates’ courts will be given access to the Police National Computer in order to track down defaulters with criminal records.
Commenting on the measures, which have been trialled in pilot projects around the country, Lord Falconer said: “Victims of crime and the taxpaying public demand and expect effective enforcement.”
“Offenders must pay the price for breaking the law and justice has to be seen to be done. These measures will give the courts additional tools to find defaulters and make them pay what they owe.”
Courts minister Christopher Leslie added: “The fines collection rate is currently 81 per cent compared with just over 50 per cent 18 months ago – but the job is not complete – we need to continue to press home the message that what the court says, goes.”
