Loanhead fine dodger made to stump up

A Loanhead fine dodger, who had repeatedly ignored warnings and avoided paying the £900 he owed, stumped up after finding out that full outstanding balance of his fines was arrested in his bank account.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The man, who cannot be named for data protection reasons, had been fined £909 for theft, attempted theft and two fines transferred from courts in England for travelling on trains without paying fares. He refused to pay despite warning letters and a warrant being issued for his arrest. Only when fines officers at Edinburgh Sheriff Court obtained an arrestment of funds order was the full amount recovered. He was among a number of fines dodgers from across Scotland who had their bank accounts frozen.

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Chief Operations Officer David Fraser said: “The fines enforcement teams continue to be highly effective in securing unpaid fines – ignoring your fine and not speaking to an enforcement officer if you are having difficulty paying is very unwise.

Failure to pay, or to engage with our officers, will result in strong sanctions being taken including arrestment of wages, bank accounts, your car being clamped or inconvenience and embarrassment by being arrested when travelling abroad.”