Notice anything?

[Satch]

Sent to me by a friend. It is a list of cases dealt with by a provincial magistrates court earlier this week.

Theft from the person of another – discharged conditionally for 12 months, to pay £60 court costs.

Criminal damage to property valued at under £5,000, possession of amphetamine, failure to surrender to police – to carry out 80 hours' unpaid work, to pay £150 compensation; discharged conditionally for 12 months, forfeiture and destruction of amphetamine.

Causing fear of unlawful violence – fined £50, to pay £15 victim surcharge.

Causing fear of unlawful violence – Fined £100, to pay £200 court costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Causing fear of unlawful violence – fined £100, to pay £150 court costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Shoplifting while subject to a conditional discharge – Fined £150, to pay £200 court costs and £15 victim surcharge

Two counts of shoplifting – discharged conditionally for 18 months, to pay £32.25 compensation; 18-month conditional discharge, to pay £74.99 compensation and £60 court costs.

Possession of cocaine – fined £200, to pay £60 court costs and £15 victim surcharge

Failing to give information regarding driver's identity – fined £425, to pay £60 court costs and £15 victim surcharge, licence endorsed with six penalty points.

Failing to comply with traffic signals – fined £375, to pay £60 costs and £15 victim surcharge, licence endorsed with three penalty points.

 

[Swiss Toni]

Does the list include details of how long the offenders had spent in Custody already or their income levels?
(These don't generally appear on the public results list).

 

[umedc]

whats victim surcharge

 

[myblueml]

Just goes to show that drivers are an easy target

 

[Meldrew2]

This is exactly why I withdrew my application to become a Magistrate.

I do not wish to be part of a system that penalises motorists (who are generally law-abiding citizens) while failing to punish those members of society who don't even know what "law-abiding" means.



.

 

[wxmclk]

I have anecdotal evidence (serving police officer) who informs me that the perception is that motorists are deemed as statistical "middle class" and will pay up without too much trouble- they are not generally criminals you see.
Everyone else is categorised as "criminal class" or "victim"- he swears this is the rule of thumb driven from the top down.

 

[recycled]

I'm afraid it s not just motorists but mostly them though.
The whole justice system it seems is geared to generating as much revenue as it can get from every offence possible.
Why put people in jail when you have to feed, clothe and train them, which costs money.
Fining them would not only save you money, it will make you more as well ad those that cannot pay a fine, will tend to be treated more lenient than those that can pay and do not pay, i.e car drivers.

That is the way of the world i'm afraid. Cash is always king.

 

[st4]

I'm afraid it s not just motorists but mostly them though.
The whole justice system it seems is geared to generating as much revenue as it can get from every offence possible.
Why put people in jail when you have to feed, clothe and train them, which costs money.
Fining them would not only save you money, it will make you more as well ad those that cannot pay a fine, will tend to be treated more lenient than those that can pay and do not pay, i.e car drivers.

That is the way of the world i'm afraid. Cash is always king.

You've missed the point

"causing fear of unlawful violence" total £65.

I go for a "jolly" and end up doing 75mph in a 60mph zone and I'm only a fiver "better" than the violent scumbag above.

Sorry, it stinks.

 

[Dryce]

Why put people in jail when you have to feed, clothe and train them, which costs money.

Much cheaper to just shoot them I guess.

 

[Sp!ke]

One thing I've learnt over the years of attending magistrates courts for various motoring misdemeanors..

Don't go to court wearing your best suit.

Instead, go to your nearest charity shop and buy something slightly threadbare and ill fitting to the point where its obvious.

In court you come across as someone who has made really made the effort and has showed the court some respect but at the same time hasn't got any money to pay a large fine.

In my case, I found my fines were substantially less, at least halved, sometimes a third of what I or others received for similar offences.

I guess the moral of the story is that those that can afford it pay bigger fines.

 

[Dryce]

In my case, I found my fines were substantially less, at least halved, sometimes a third of what I or others received for similar offences.

I guess the moral of the story is that those that can afford it pay bigger fines.

Actually the moral from this story is that the system is subjective, prejudiced, and reacts to stereotypes.

 

[CE230]

I was talking to a magistrate last weekend. From what she was saying I'm afraid that the woman has no perception of real life and thinks that speaking to a teenager in a stern voice will have an effect.

 

[flango]

This is exactly why I withdrew my application to become a Magistrate.

I do not wish to be part of a system that penalises motorists (who are generally law-abiding citizens) while failing to punish those members of society who don't even know what "law-abiding" means.



.

Yes but by doing that you won't change the system the LCO know theres a problem and are trying to get younger Magistrates in place to deal with some of this inequality. They also need magistates with real life experience to stop cases getting escalated to crown court when there is no need.

If you want to change this you need to be part of it and change it from the inside and dispense justice to those who deserve it.

I'm not having a go at you personally but this is a typical British problem plenty of people on the outside prepared to moan and berate magistrates but don't have the balls to get in there and try and do anything about it.

It's time to grasp the problem with both hands, get in there and do something that WILL make a difference.

 

[flango]

I was talking to a magistrate last weekend. From what she was saying I'm afraid that the woman has no perception of real life and thinks that speaking to a teenager in a stern voice will have an effect.

This is totally typical and the reason why the LCO want to change things and inject some reality into the courts.

You also have to remember magistrates work voluntarily and are not paid, so there lives are not easy, getting knocked up (pardon the pun) in the early hours of the morning to sign warrants, sitting and debating until the small hours, theres a lot that happens outside the courtroom that is never seen but time consuming and not easy.

That said the OP sums it all up and it has to change and it will but only if people are prepared to do something about it instead of moaning, get involved and change it thats what I say

 

[del320]

One thing I've learnt over the years of attending magistrates courts for various motoring misdemeanors...

...In my case, I found my fines were substantially less, at least halved, sometimes a third of what I or others received for similar offences.

Are you a serial crim?

 

[MrT]

Much cheaper to just shoot them I guess.

If only we could!

 

[Meldrew2]

If you want to change this you need to be part of it and change it from the inside and dispense justice to those who deserve it.

I understand your point completely, but unfortunately the amount of a fine is not left to the Magistrate's discretion - there are published guidelines which the Bench has no choice but to follow.

It is very evident from previous cases that a magistrate who "rocks the boat" will very soon be an ex-magistrate.

http://www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk/docs/magistrates_court_sentencing_guidelines_update.pdf

The fight for change needs to be fought by way of effective lobbying of central Government.

 

[jaymanek]

the point is that motoring offences can easily be classified and therefore punishments can be allocated very easily.. 10mph over the limit = x... this way there is less prejudice in the system.

Criminal Violence for example is not as clear cut.. it depends on what was involved, each case is different..

Do we want be like some countries where you know exactly what you will get for a particular crime no matter the circumstances or do we want the magistrates to have some discretion?

Should a poor man who shoplifts a loaf of bread get the same punishment as a car thief?

Its a huge debate and one for those more in the know.. but its not as clear cut as made out in the first post.. thats for sure.

 

[Sp!ke]

Are you a serial crim?

In terms of motoring law, yes, every day of the week.

Arent we all?

 

[st4]

Actually the moral from this story is that the system is subjective, prejudiced, and reacts to stereotypes.

And can only get worse as the government(s) we have try to alter our perceptions of what is right and wrong and whats acceptable and not acceptable.

Listen to the radio and you get these reminders constantly on how to save fuel, cut CO2 emissions. Its very similar actually to Stalinistic propoganda promoting 5yr plans etc. Therefore the public now hold cars, and offences comitted in car in a bad light as there are these niggling adverts/posters making out that cars are bad and therefore the people that use them are bad and should feel guilty about them. Hence a road traffic offence is deemed worse than it is. We here about poor disadvantaged kids who "turn to crime as they have nothing esle to do as they don't have many opportunities". These little torags therefore get let off as people feel sorry for them thanks to the new age boll*cks that this government rambles on about social inclusion this, equal oppertunites this and employing loads of drones as social workers. We need to shake up the way the government wants us to think and directly challenge some of todays modern ideas.

Someone was on at me @ work for driving a lot and as such I am a criminal as I speed, I reminded him he too was a criminal as he was drunk (from his claims) and was probably roudy and disorderly. Everyones faces dropped as this is not the common way of thinking.