Law Weblog

Good result from efforts by court officials

Tuesday 14 March 2006 at 6:38 am | In News | Post Comment

More than one thousand warrants have been executed, criminals arrested and £60,000 in unpaid fines collected following a major effort by courts staff across London to pursue elusive offenders.

The money collected means many victims of crime in the capital will be compensated.

London’s 36 magistrates’ courts began their crackdown last month on thousands of outstanding warrants. A quarter of all unpaid court fines in England and Wales originate from London. Courts chased fines evaders, some of whom had failed to attend court or complete their community service. 

A court penalty often includes an order to compensate victims.

The courts flushed out hundreds of criminals by letter, phone call and text, warning them to pay up or suffer the consequences including being sent to jail. One person was jailed for 182 days.

Much of the campaign’s success depended on the element of surprise, and enforcement officers turned up at criminals’ homes at odd times of the day and night when they failed to respond to letters and text messages.