Pensioner, 82, convicted of not paying car tax while in hospital having toe amputated
An 82-year-old pensioner has been convicted of not paying car tax while he was in hospital having a toe amputated.
The OAP, who is in assisted living in Liverpool, was pursued through the criminal courts by the DVLA when the bill went unpaid last December.
When prosecuted in the scandal-hit Single Justice Procedure, a secretive fast-track court system, the octogenarian wrote in to explain his medical woes – even including a copy of a hospital treatment record.
But it was not enough to avoid a criminal conviction for keeping an unlicensed vehicle.
These stories are already mounting up, but the problem could have been foreseen when the Single Justice Procedure was devised. Easily foreseen at that, because the media thrive on the tales of woe which were bound to occur.
The Ministry of Justice is considering reform, having promised last November a “fair and effective” system while hinting at “fundamental reform”. But eight months later, no significant changes have being made.
There is an impressive ability to make things worse too, because endless discussions and delays about reform just add another dimension to every story.
Not that it's likely to make much difference, there is indifference to consequences in there too - part of a wider trend.
5 comments:
My daughter was prosecuted and advised that the "offence" would be dealt with by the Single Justice System, a Star Chamber where it is up to the prosecution to submit a received defence or plea of mitigation, which is rarely, if ever, passed to the magistrate. However, it was noted that a "Do you wish to attend Court?" question was in the document. As this would allow a defence to be heard, my daughter stated she would attend court. Whether out of malice, or another reason, the court hearing was over 30 miles away from where we lived, despite other Courts being closer. In the event, the prosecution offered no evidence, and the case discontinued, giving us a wasted day; loss of a day's pay for her; and an outrageous car park payment.There is little doubt that if the SJS had been accepted, my daughter would have faced a heavy fine and probably driving licence penalty points. It appears that if the SJS is challenged, the procedure will become the punishment.
The chap whose job it was to say "stop!" was probably away getting DEI training.
Penseivat - interesting and of course sinister. These stories will mount up, but if they don't evolve into a major scandal, it seems unlikely that anything will be done. As you say, the procedure becomes the punishment and they know that.
dearieme - or maybe he'd taken the day off to buy a new frock.
He could have posted the toe to them and stated that the remainder of the pound of flesh would follow in the course.
Doonhamer - what a good idea. He could have explained about donating the whole foot in his will.
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