INJUSTICE OF THE PEACE
50 JPs quit in court protest
MAGISTRATES are quitting over a new court fee which they say forces innocent people to plead guilty.
More than 50 have resigned in the last few weeks over fixed charges introduced by the Government to make criminals pay for running courts.
Defendants who plead guilty in a magistrates’ court have to pay £150 on top of their sentence and other costs.
But those who plead not guilty and are convicted after a trial have to pay £520.
In a crown court, a guilty plea costs £900, while those convicted after a trial have to pay £1,200.
Richard Monkhouse, chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, said: “There are defendants who are saying ‘I’m not guilty’ but they will plead guilty because of the risk the financial impact will be greater.
Slapping
“Our members tell us people are being pressured into pleading guilty because the defendant thinks that it will cost them more money if they don’t.
“Most of the people dealt with in magistrates’ courts are not particularly wealthy and some are stealing to eat, yet we are slapping this charge on them.” Mr Monkhouse said 30 magistrates resigned in protest in July and more last month.
The Magistrates’ Association is calling for an immediate review of the charges but the Ministry of Justice has ruled it out until 2018.
A spokeswoman said: “It is right that convicted adult offenders who use our criminal courts should pay towards the cost of running them.
“The introduction of this charge makes it possible to recover some of the costs of the criminal courts from these offenders, therefore reducing the burden on taxpayers.”