Police op targets fine dodgers (From Wiltshire Times)

Police op targets fine dodgers

8:02am Wednesday 21st March 2007 in Melksham By John Ballard

FINE dodgers were dealt with on their own doorsteps in a successful trial operation involving one of the new neighbourhood policing teams.

Working in partnership with Melksham Town NPT, warrant enforcement officers from North Wiltshire magistrates' court swooped on 19 addresses in and around Melksham on Tuesday last week to catch people with outstanding court fines and those in breach of court conditions.

The aim of the operation was to send a message to the public that people avoiding fines will be caught and brought to justice.

Melksham town community beat manager, Pc Kevin Harmsworth, was delighted with the outcome.

He said: "The operation was a success with 10 out of 19 outstanding warrants executed resulting in one arrest and £3,035 worth of fines collected.

"Melksham Town NPT will be conducting further operations in the future, which form part of ongoing work across Wiltshire by the warrants officers.

"People often do not realise the police are working with the warrants officers, but seeing a police officer on the doorstep is a powerful reminder."

Three teams, each consisting of a member of the NPT and a warrants enforcement officer, visited the addresses simultaneously to catch the offenders.

With the success of the trial run, further operations could be taking place in other parts of the county in the near future.

Paul Jenkins, Wiltshire warrant execution supervisor, said: "Wiltshire magistrates' courts are keen to pursue every opportunity to recover unpaid compensation, costs and fines and welcome the chance to combine resources with the police to exchange information and intelligence to enable fine defaulters to be brought to justice.

"Defaulters can be imprisoned, their goods (including vehicles) can be removed and sold, they can be prevented from obtaining credit, and payments due to the court can be deducted from their salaries or benefits at source.

"We seek to recover outstanding sums by rigorous enforcement but there are options to make payment available before customers fall into default."

New technology allows customers to ring a 24-hour payment line, which is easy to use and designed to stop people falling behind with payments.