Fines collection in Scotland continues to improve as the Scottish Court Service records the highest ever collection rate for Scottish fines.

Eric McQueen, Executive Director of Field Service for the Scottish Court Service said: “It is now two years since we took responsibility for the whole range of fines enforcement and again we see collection rates improve over the previous quarter. The collection of Fiscal fines sees the most dramatic improvement with fines - either fully paid or partly paid - up 6 percentage points over the last three months.

“We have sent very strong messages to offenders that fines will be collected and with our direct enforcement action we are seeing results.

“Direct enforcement includes making deductions from people’s benefits or wages, arresting bank accounts, as well as seizing people’s cars. People with outstanding fines are recognising more and more that there is nowhere to hide.“

High profile car seizures have helped raise awareness of the extent of enforcement action which can be taken by the Scottish Court Service against non-payers. In Edinburgh last month, immediate payment of £180 for road traffic offences was received after a Vauxhall car was clamped.

Last week in Livingston, a woman lost her car after it was clamped for failing to pay 15 outstanding road traffic fines. The Scottish Court Service discovered the woman was also in default with a hire purchase company which then claimed the car for non-payment.

Other drivers with outstanding fines are now being warned by letter that they could be next if they don’t pay their fine.

In summary:

• 90% of the value of Sheriff Court fines (1 April 2006- 31 March 2009) has been paid in full or is on track to be paid by instalments.

• 71% of the value of Fiscal Fines imposed in 2008/9 has been paid in full or is on track to be paid by instalments - up 6 percentage points on the previous quarter. Before SCS took on collection responsibility in fiscal fine collection, rates were put at around 40%.

• 78% of the value of Justice of the Peace Court fines (1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009) has been paid in full or is on track for payment.

• 67% of the value of Police Antisocial Behaviour Fixed Penalties (FPNs) imposed in 2008-2009 has been paid.

(SCS only acquired responsibility for collecting JP court fines and FPNs on unification of courts – see notes in report)

Enforcement action in the last three months:

• 24,000 enforcement orders were granted by the court (as the first step to direct enforcement action)

• Revised payment terms were agreed with 17,000 people to ensure payments are maintained.

• 6000 benefit deduction notices and almost 800 wage arrestment orders were made

Notes:

A copy of the SCS Quarterly Fines Report No 4 is available atthis link.

Recent Fine Collection Stories

National

• A UK leasing company paid £2025 in fines relating to 31 separate traffic offences going back to 2006, following a visit by a Sheriff Officer.

East and Central

• An arrest warrant was issued for a 57 year old Falkirk man after his nonappearance before a fines enquiry court for non-payment of a £500 road traffic fine. The warrant was executed on his return from abroad and he paid the police in full at the airport.

• A 32 year old Musselburgh woman paid her £75 fiscal fine in full after she missed a fines enquiry court and police arrived with a warrant.

• A 26 year old Edinburgh man paid his £100 fine for drugs offences in full when an earnings arrestment order was issued. He paid to avoid ‘further embarrassment’

• In Perth, a fine and compensation order for £1000 had gone unpaid since 2008 and warning letters were not heeded. The issuing of an enforcement order was enough to ensure the fine was paid in full.

South and West of Scotland

• Over £12,000 has been arrested from the bank account of a 55 year old man convicted of fraud at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

• There was nowhere to hide for a 47 year old Newton Stewart woman. The Scottish Court Service traced her to her new address and she paid her £150 fiscal fine for breach of the peace.

• Deductions from benefits are paying off £170 of fiscal fines accumulated by a 58 year old Greenock man for not having a TV licence.

North

• A 20 year old Fort William man had managed to amass several fiscal fines amounting to £1000 for offences including theft, shoplifting and misuse of drugs. On discovery that he was in employment, an earnings arrestment order means he will be paying the Scottish Court Service £100 each month until these fines are paid.

• In Aberdeen, one phone call was all it took to agree a payment scheme for a £1857 fine which included compensation for a breach of the peace. A £100 standing order ensures payment is made regularly and in case of default we have the 39 year old man’s employment details as a back up.