A pensioner with Parkinson’s has been convicted through a controversial court after failing to pay a £3.34 car tax bill.
An 86-year-old has been prosecuted through a Single Justice Procedure fast-track court process for failing to pay tax on his car.
The man, who lives on the outskirts of Newcastle, explained how he suffers from Parkinson’s disease, while his wife, 86, has Alzheimer’s.
He stated that the annual £20 tax bill on his Silver Ford Fiesta went unpaid in January, as their daughter, who manages their finances, moved house.
Between February and mid-March, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) launched a criminal prosecution as the vehicle had not been taxed.
In a note to the court, the pensioner explained that he had already paid an £80 fine, prompting his confusion over why he was being prosecuted for a criminal offence.
He was ultimately convicted at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court and ordered to pay £3.34 in compensation to the DVLA.
The SJP process involves magistrates sitting behind closed doors to deal with lower-level crimes.
A pensioner has been fined and convicted for failing to pay a £20 car tax bill
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GETTY/DVLA
It has been described by HM Courts and Tribunals Service as an “accessible, proportionate, effective and more efficient way – for both the defendant and the courts – to hear less serious cases that will not involve a prison sentence”.
The pensioner entered a guilty plea in writing to the charge of using a vehicle without a valid licence, PA reported.
However, when letters are sent as part of the SJP, the DVLA does not see any personal circumstances that may explain the rule break.
The 86-year-old explained his health conditions and outlined that his daughter was in control of his finances, health and welfare.
The DVLA has called for reforms to the Single Justice Procedure | PA
He added: “She has to do much on keeping on top of everything for my wife and I. We are both nearly 87.
“I have Parkinson’s disease and my wife has Alzheimer’s. (She) overlooked paying my tax renewal of £20.
“She had moved address and we assumed the original letter or reminder re tax went to her old address.”
He stated that the car is being sold as he is no longer fit to drive the car, in addition to questioning why he was being prosecuted through an SJP.
The magistrate in charge of the case accepted the guilty plea and declined to fine him further.
It was concluded with an absolute discharge and the original £3.34 compensation order for the vehicle tax offence.
The DVLA has consistently backed the prospect of reforming the SJP process, although the Government has not yet acted upon a consultation which ended last year.