Criminal courts charge

[agtlaw]

Looks like the government wants you to think twice about having a trial, and from 13.4.15 you're paying an extra £150 "criminal courts charge" if pleading guilty. The charge is applicable only to adults - not the youth court.

Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 ss.21A-21F as inserted by the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 s.54, commenced by S.I. 2015/778.

The criminal courts charge applies only to persons convicted of an offence committed after 13 April 2015; see s.54(4) of the 2015 Act.

Example - Speeding, guilty plea

£300 fine
£150 criminal courts charge
£85 prosecution costs
£30 victim surcharge
£565 total

Example - Speeding, guilty after trial

£400 fine
£520 criminal courts charge
£620 prosecution costs
£40 victim surcharge
£1540 total

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/796/made

Edited by agtlaw on Sunday 5th April 19:11

Edited by agtlaw on Thursday 9th April 14:48

[aw51 121565]

Is the "victim surcharge" (sexy, touchy-feely name, pays for most of the CPS's costs more recently as per The Magistrate's Blog back in late 2012 from memory) not enough nowadays??

Thanks for drawing this to our attention .

[Red Devil]

Better hope that when you get pinged you're within the threshold for the offer of a SAC then!

[Jasandjules]

Good to see Justice is for all. As long as you are rich.

[agtlaw]

Jasandjules said:

Good to see Justice is for all. As long as you are rich.

In reality, it won't be paid - except by motorists. Benefits claimants won't pay because they can't pay and the charge will be written off or added to the £600 million of outstanding court fines and surcharges.

[Countdown]

If Lady Justice is blind how does she know the size of your wallet?

[Oakey]

Countdown said:

If Lady Justice is blind how does she know the size of your wallet?

Because you filled in the form beforehand for the minions to process?

[matchmaker]

Glad I live in Scotland! (Unless I get caught doing silly speeds).

[carinaman]

Thanks agtlaw, and for linking to it from the other thread.

It's useful to me.

[stuart313]

When I have been caught several times in the past I have always elected to take it to court knowing I would be down a couple of hundred quid at the worst (the last one I got an absolute discharge and no fine). It was gratifying to know it cost the police/courts probably more than they got out of me, it was worth it.

However even I'm not daft enough to spunk that kind of money away on nonsense like this, so they have got their wish and denied justice to someone who was not afraid to use it. I will stick it to the man in the future by simply not speeding anywhere.

[agtlaw]

Also, I should have mentioned the unlimited fines for all level 5 offences:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/664/conten...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/504/pdfs/u...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/10/sectio...

Includes these offences:

Careless driving
Drink driving / fail to provide
Drug driving / fail to provide
Dangerous driving
Defective brakes / tyres
DWD
Fail to stop / report
No insurance
Overloading
Tachograph not used / not working

Edited by agtlaw on Friday 27th March 21:08

[Mermaid]

Thanks for sharing.

[Aretnap]

Well that didn't last long - thankfully. Gone as of 24th December.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/courts

[Rovinghawk]

Good- it was bad procedure IMO.

[Mill Wheel]

It was touted on local radio today that the change came about due in part to protests from magistrates - apparently a large number resigned citing this as the reason.

[V8 Fettler]

Bizarre that the charge should ever have been introduced without canvassing the opinions of magistrates.

[ging84]

Why do they have to put up a picture of Michael Gove's face when you are reading his back peddling tripe, i'm not sure what makes me want to punch him more, his words or his smug shiny tttish face

[Hamish Finn]

ging84 said:

Michael Gove's face when you are reading his back peddling tripe,

What's he been peddling?

[aw51 121565]

Perhaps he might like to rescind the Victim Surcharge too (see my post at the top of this thread) .

Criminals (only) paying for the justice system ... That's so "three years ago"!

Now, if only he had done the "death by a thousand cuts" with the "victim surcharge" at the start and made many other small "charges on top of fines and costs" rather than going for the burn at step 2 ? No, he is as good as Minister for Justice as he was as Minister for Education .