Tougher measures for fine dodgers (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Tougher measures for fine dodgers

PEOPLE who refuse to pay their court fines will soon find themselves facing tougher measures in Gloucestershire.

The county will be one of six local justice areas to pilot a new scheme designed to make people pay up front and on time.

The six month project will test the entire fines enforcement regime and increase fines by 25 percent.

Courts Minister Chris Leslie said: "People will no longer be given endless opportunities to pay, with taxpayers' money being spent on chasing up defaulters.

"Instead, penalties which were at the back end of the system have been brought forward and will kick in almost immediately, providing savings to the community and ensuring that justice is done."

The fines enforcement regime means: * Magistrates courts will be able to refer sentenced cases to a fines officer who will manage the collection and enforcement of fines on behalf of the court if the offender is unable to pay the fine in full immediately. * Fines officers will have discretion to vary repayment terms and will be able to impose sanctions of increasing severity on defaulters who refuse to co-operate. * There will be a wider use of attachment to earnings, and deductions from benefits orders. * A new offence for failing to provide information about financial means will result in a maximum penalty of £500. * A 25 percent increase on a fine can be applied after default. A defaulter can avoid this by keeping to a new schedule of payment. * If the offender defaults on new payment terms, or fails to make contact with the fines officer, the increase stands. The fines officer could also apply further sanctions, including wheel clamping (and eventual sale), authorising bailiffs to seize the offender's goods or issuing a summons to bring the offender back to court. * Offenders who genuinely can not pay can have their fine discharged through unpaid work.

The pilot scheme will be launched early in 2004 and will also be running in Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Devon and Cornwall, South Yorkshire and Cheshire.

The Gloucestershire Justices Chief Executive Alan Davies said: "I am delighted that we are taking part in this study.

"Gloucestershire already has one of the highest payment rate recovery figures in the country and this will help us to take this even further."