- Do YOU know the girl convicted – or do you’ve got a TV licence story? E mail tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk
A lady dying from breast most cancers has been branded a ‘felony’ after being hit with a ‘fast-track’ conviction for failing to pay her TV licence.
The 50-year-old mom, who has stage 4 breast most cancers, was interviewed on her doorstep by a TV Licensing inspector for not paying the £169.50 annual cost.
Regardless of pleading her case, she was prosecuted underneath the controversial single justice process and final week obtained a felony conviction.
In a heartbreaking handwritten later to the court docket, the terminally-ill lady described how she was in fixed agony, writing: ‘I’ve been very harassed and depressed. I’m presently having on-going remedy for terminal most cancers.
‘Additional to this, daily is a battle. I’m in lots of ache and battle to maneuver off the bed. I get my daughter to assist me with on a regular basis wants.’
Do YOU know the girl convicted – or do you’ve got a TV licence story? E mail tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk
Nevertheless, TV Licensing has now issued an apology to the most cancers sufferer and admitted her case ought to by no means have come to court docket.
Vowing to get the conviction overturned, the company advised the Night Customary: ‘This case mustn’t have proceeded to prosecution and we’re extraordinarily sorry for this.
‘We will likely be writing to the shopper to apologise immediately and we will likely be re-opening the case as quickly as attainable so the prosecution might be withdrawn.’
The Customary, which raised the problem with TV Licensing, stated a prosecution was introduced after the girl refused to adjust to an out-of-court settlement.
After being convicted, she obtained a three-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay prices of £26.
In line with court docket papers, the girl’s advantages had additionally just lately been withdrawn.
The only justice process permits magistrates to take a seat alone and in personal to take care of low-level felony circumstances.
Handing out convictions based mostly on written proof alone, it was hoped the system would assist to hurry up the time it takes to take care of crimes.
First launched in 2015, the method is now used for round three-quarters of one million felony circumstances annually – with crimes like fare evasion, rushing and anti-social behaviour amongst these being handled.
Nevertheless, the brand new measure has led to a litany of surprising felony circumstances, which has seen pensioners, the terminally-ill and folks have been extreme studying difficulties being fined behind-closed-doors.
In a key intervention, the Magistrates’ Affiliation – which represents JPs throughout England and Wales – is now calling on motion to deal with the ‘hurt’ brought on by the one justice process on ‘society’s most weak’.
The organisation final week issued a 12-point motion plan calling for pressing modifications to the system, after magistrates discovered they have been ‘uncomfortable’ with it and branded it ‘flawed’.
Among the many factors features a new public curiosity examine by prosecutors earlier than some circumstances come to court docket in addition to additional coaching for magistrates, with solely skilled JPs allowed to take a seat on circumstances.
And the affiliation demanded higher transparency, urging for journalists to be allowed to observe hearings like they’re capable of in different felony circumstances.
Each the Conservatives and Labour have vowed to assessment the system after at this time’s election.
