Posted on 08/12/2002 7:53:54 AM PDT by Boonie Rat
Instant fines for thugs
(Filed: 12/08/2002)
Police have begun handing out on-the-spot fines to hooligans as part of the Government's drive to curb anti-social behaviour.
In a series of pilot schemes, speeding ticket-style notices will be issued imposing fixed penalties of £80 and £40.
They will help to crack down on offences such as using threatening behaviour, being drunk and disorderly and making hoax 999 calls.
Offenders will be able to pay by post. If they deny the charge, they can elect to go to court for trial.
The pilot schemes starting today are in Croydon, south London, Essex, the West Midlands and North Wales. British Transport Police will also take part in the West Midlands.
If the one-year trials are successful the idea will be extended nationwide.
It is designed to stop police cells and the courts being clogged with petty offenders who receive only a "slap on the wrist" from magistrates.
A Home Office spokesman said: "The scheme will give police greater flexibility to tackle low-level antisocial crime swiftly and simply.
"It will provide police with an additional tool to tackle nuisance crimes and intimidating behaviour which blights the lives of so many people.
"It will reduce the amount of police time spent on paperwork and courts' time in dealing with prosecutions and yet provides a punishment for the offender."
The higher level fines will be for offenders who use threatening behaviour or words causing alarm or distress, wasting police time, knowingly giving a false alarm to the fire brigade or sending false message under the Telecommunications Act 1984.
Being drunk and disorderly or drunk in the highway, throwing stones at trains, trespassing on a railway, throwing fireworks, drinking in a restricted area, wilful obstruction of the highway and buying alcohol for children will set people back £40.
Most tickets will be given out at police stations but they can also be given out at the time. Offenders can be arrested if they fail to take the ticket.
The Association of Chief Police Officers and the pilot police forces have strongly backed the plan, according to the Home Office.
But some rank-and-file officers have expressed fears that issuing a ticket could itself spark a confrontation, while taking down details of those detained would also waste valuable time on the beat.
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Boonie Rat
MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66
The article makes it clear that people will be cited for their actions, not their thoughts.
This is nothing more than an appearance ticket for minor crimes. Would you rather people be held in cells until their (delayed) court appearance?
(Mind you, I'm no fan of big-brotherish British government, but there is nothing objectionable in this plan.)
Yet another move by the UK to undermine the presumption of innocence. Easy & cheap to plead guilty, a right royal pain in the @$$ to fight a charge- not unlike traffic tickets, where it's cheaper to pay the fine than to take a day off work to fight it. It'll be a major cash cow and enforcement will be like traffic enforcement, where the pattern of charges laid will have everything to do with revenue potential and nothing to do with public safety.
Causing "alarm or distress", "wasting police time". Gimme A Break. Snivel rights in action.
Boonie Rat
MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66
Sounds to me like Saudi Arabia's morality police in a different wrapper. Maybe they should be called "Britawa"
Your battle seems to be one of words & definitions. Would you argue against arrest & release for any of the above crimes?
Do you not consider the above items criminal?
Falsely reporting an incident
Attempted Assault & Battery
Criminal Negligence.
Do you not consider the above items criminal?
Where there is damage, there is a crime. Otherwise, NO.
Boonie Rat
MACV SOCOM, PhuBai/Hue '65-'66
QUOTE
Anti-social behaviour should be taken to mean behaviour, whether or not in itself criminal, that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress to other people.
* * * *
The Home Office Guidance booklet of March 1999 provides examples of cases where an ASBO might be appropriate:-
* * * *
• where there is persistent * * * homophobic behaviour;
UNQUOTE
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/cdact/asbo.pdf (pages 5 & 9)
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