Fines ignored by yobs

More than two thirds of yobs, drunks and shoplifters in the Black Country are failing to pay their fines – calling into question Tony Blair's push for on-the-spot justice.

Fixed-penalty notices have been introduced for a series of "minor" offences.

But offenders in the West Midlands flouted the fines more than those in any other force area.

Crimes covered by the £80 fixed penalty include shoplifting of items under £200, criminal damage up to £500, wasting police time, throwing fireworks, being drunk, and throwing stones at trains.

However, latest figures show that more than two thirds of the Penalty Notices for Disorder (PND) are not paid before the 21-day deadline in the West Midlands Police area.

The force issued 7,967 notices in 2004-05 but only 2,562 were paid on time. In 2005-06, 3,642 were paid out of 11,468 notices issued.

Across the whole of England and Wales in 2004-05, 39,579 went unpaid out of 80,006 PNDs issued, and last year 77,091 were unpaid from 150,520 notices.

If the fines go unpaid after three weeks, they become the responsibility of the courts and the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which are currently chasing £8million nationally.

Disputed

Last year, the Government admitted the cost of administering a single ticket is £91, meaning each criminal punished in this way costs the taxpayer £11. It cost £1.65million to issue the fines in 2005-06 but the taxpayer forked out twice that because of unpaid fines.

A Home Office spokesman defended the system and insisted the fines were working. "They ensure fast, effective justice," he said.

"This saves police time, reduces bureaucracy and reserves courts for disputed and more complex cases."

But the figures are a blow to Labour's policy of keeping offenders out of the courts, and critics say it would be simpler to put them before magistrates in the first place.

Shadow home secretary David Davis said: "This is a consequence of Labour effectively decriminalising many offences that deserve proper criminal proceedings."