Leicester Mercury: Criminals yet to pay courts £6m

by   Tom Bennett

Criminals owe nearly £6 million in court fines, costs and compensation which should have been paid to victims, it was revealed today.

More than £5,879,000 is owed - nearly £1.5million more than the cash owed by criminals to Nottinghamshire's legal system.   

The figure, which includes payments not received that are still within the time limit agreed in court, has dropped by £150,000 since last year.

However, nationally the amount unpaid has risen by £12 million since 2006, to £486 million.   

Critics blame the Government for the rise, saying the reluctance to jail criminals has meant more were being fined and then defaulting on the payment.

Leicestershire police and court enforcement officers carry out raids on the homes of repeat offenders who refuse to pay their court fines.

Recently, the two agencies recovered more than £10,000 after tackling 75 addresses in Wigston alone.   

Five people were arrested for non-payment of fines, and dealt with by the courts.   

Martin Hirst, senior enforcement manager for Leicestershire's courts, said officers could attack a defaulter's earnings or deduct from their benefits, clamp their vehicle until they pay, or send in bailiffs to get property to the value of the fine.

He said: "We regularly target different parts of the city and county.   

"We're prioritising cases of compensation money and old fines owed by hardcore serial defaulters.   

"The message to the defaulter is if you get in touch we'll do what we can to renegotiate the terms of repayment if possible.   

"If they don't we have a range of powers that we can and will use to recover the fine."   

Chief Insp Stephen Potter, of Leicestershire Constabulary's criminal justice department, said: "Many of the unpaid fines relate to court decisions in respect of criminal offences so if payment is not enforced criminals think they are getting away with their crimes."

The crackdown began last year when Nick Watson, director of legal services at Leicestershire magistrates' courts, said: "The message is we will catch up with them in some way."

Blair Gibbs, spokesman for the Taxpayers' Alliance, a national pressure group which campaigns against wasting tax payers' money, said the amount owed to courts was on the increase because magistrates dish out fines to repeat offenders.

He said: "It is no surprise the amount going unpaid is growing because fines are only suitable for certain types of low-level criminal.

"Taxpayers will now have to pay extra for the Government to try and recover this money from criminals."   

* People behind on payments can call 0116 255 2666 and ask to speak to the fines section.