An 86-year-old pensioner living near Newcastle has been convicted in a controversial fast-track court over an unpaid car tax of just £3.34. The man, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, told the court about his challenging health situation and that his wife, also 86, has Alzheimer’s disease.
He explained that the annual £20 tax bill for his silver Ford Fiesta was accidentally left unpaid in January when their daughter, who manages the couple’s finances, was moving house. Over the six-week period from February to mid-March, the vehicle was not properly taxed, which prompted the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to launch a criminal prosecution.
In a note to the court, the pensioner mentioned he had already paid an £80 financial penalty, which he believed was related to the same issue, leaving him confused about why a criminal prosecution had followed.
READ MORE: Villages in Cotswolds Resist Plans for Thousands of New Homes
READ MORE: Gloucester Couple Celebrate 60th Wedding Anniversary on Same Day as 1966 World Cup Final
Last Thursday at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, he was convicted and ordered to pay £3.34 in compensation to the DVLA. The case was handled through the Single Justice Procedure (SJP), a fast-track court process where magistrates decide cases behind closed doors, typically for low-level offences.
The Government has been considering reforms to the SJP system for the past 17 months, prompted by reports of elderly and vulnerable individuals being convicted harshly over unpaid bills. The DVLA began the prosecution by sending a letter without knowing the individual’s personal circumstances.
The pensioner pleaded guilty in writing to using a vehicle without a valid licence and detailed his health difficulties in his mitigation statement, noting that his daughter holds lasting power of attorney for his financial, health, and welfare matters. He explained that his daughter, managing many responsibilities for both him and his wife, overlooked the tax renewal due to moving address, and they assumed any reminders were sent to her previous address.
He also noted that the vehicle is being sold as he is no longer able to drive. He expressed confusion over the SJP notice and requested that his daughter be contacted to confirm the matter was resolved and no further action was needed.
Magistrate Lynda Briggs accepted the guilty plea, issued an absolute discharge, and ordered the £3.34 compensation payment, sparing the pensioner another fine.
Due to the SJP’s design, prosecutors do not routinely receive mitigation letters, which can result in important personal information being overlooked that might affect decisions on prosecution. Magistrates have the option to adjourn cases for open court hearings or to send cases back for further public interest review in light of new information.
The Labour Government consulted last year on implementing greater safeguards in the SJP, including mandatory prosecution reviews after mitigation is entered. The DVLA supported such reforms; however, since the consultation closed last May, the Government has not announced any changes.
On the same day as this case, the magistrate in Lincoln convicted and sentenced 60 other defendants in DVLA cases, imposing fines, costs, court fees, and compensation totalling nearly £25,000.
Court data reveals that last week, 1,950 people across England and Wales were prosecuted under the Single Justice Procedure for keeping or using a vehicle without paying vehicle tax.