scared over 3rd tv licence court summons

miss1981

Hi all,

I am new here. I have also posted this message on the CAG forums too, but im still looking for advice/opinions.

I have recieved my 3rd court summons in roughly 6 years over non payment of tv licence. One of their officers visited my home in October 2011.
Attached to the summons is the piece of paper that the guy got me to sign with all the details etc. I didnt let him into my house, so he didnt see the tv. I am quite sure I told him I didnt currently have the tv switched on, but it says on the notes that 'I was using it'.
Anyway, before he left, he gave me a paypoint card to pay that way. I have done ever since.

Now I am absolutely terrified that I will goto jail over this. When I received my first summons, I sent it back by post. No action was taken against me. The second one, I also sent back by post, and I received a £190 fine - which I paid over a few weeks.
I have sent this third one back, pleading guilty to it, and I have explained my circumstances as to why I didnt pay for the periods May-October. This is due to the fact that I have been suffering with depression/anxiety since August 2010 after the birth of my 4th child. Since then, I have had loads of other stuff going on which has made my depression worse. I also have alopecia due to stress, and now this summons has just made me feel even worse.
I also explained that I have been on anti-depressant medication since October. I have apologised for the fact that my mental state has not been 100% and that now I am on the medication I am able to put the important aspects of my life into perspective.

I am so so scared about this. It is making me feel sick with worry, and im just starting to feel slightly better because of the meds im on.

I even rang the tv licensing and they put me through to a different department who deals specifically with court summons. The woman at the other end told me that they cannot stop the court case. I asked her could I pay the amounts I missed from May-October (something I also asked in my plea form), but she never answered me and went on to tell me that she had never heard of anyone going to prison for non payment of tv licence, she said you only goto prison for non payment of tv licensing fines. I am still not convinced and I just feel so sick and ill because of this.

Can anybody please help me with this? I am so scared they will put me in prison. I am a 30 year old mother of 4 children aged between 8years and 16 months. My partner lives with me, and we are currently in receipt of benefits. I cant bear the thought of being put in prison for this and having to leave my children. I dont go out anywhere now because of the alopecia I am suffering, which is why I will not be attending the court case.

All help is greatly appreciated, and thanks for taking the time to read this.
Hope to hear some feedback soon.

HappyMJ

Why do you keep watching telly and keep answering the door? You will NOT go to prison. That's for about the 10th offence and that's for people who are really stupid...answering the door. You will get a fine again and it'll be slightly higher than last time. So maybe a £240 fine if the last one was £190. That's all. Next time do not answer the door and if you do then say "bye" and close the door. Do not answer any questions. If you decide to attend the court case and plead poverty the judge can decide not to give you a fine at all so it may be worth it.

useless_git_requires_wife

There is no chance whatsoever of you going to prison, so please put it out of your mind.

Try to speak to someone from your local citizen's advice bureau. Ask about advocacy, which is a service that could help you in a number of ways.

Kurtis_Blue

HappyMJ wrote: »

Why do you keep watching telly and keep answering the door?

Not paying for a licence?

HappyMJ

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Not paying for a licence?

Answering the door and signing an admission is the only evidence the TV licensing people can use. They will not prosecute if they have no name and an admission so not answering the door is the easiest way to save £145 a year and continue to watch some telly.

miss1981

Hi,

Thankyou both for your replies.

Firstly, it was my partner who had answered the door, who then called me to the door. I already know that these 'officers' or whatever you want to call them, have no legal right of gaining access to your property, but I wasnt to sure about not actually speaking to them. I was kind of scared just to close the door in their face to be honest. I didnt know if that would make things worse, and if then they were able to get some kind of search warrant etc. I know a bit more about it now after doing some research.

Yesterday, when I received the summons, I called round a few places. Firstly, I rang a debt helpline to see if they could help (their number was on the summons). He told me that I needed to seek legal advice and gave me the number for another legal place. I gave them a call and explained everything, and asked if they thought I could go to jail. They said I 'potentially' could!!!!! As you can imagine, this did NOT help matters whatsoever.
They then put me through to a solicitors nearby to where I live. I spoke to the receptionist on the phone, who then put me on hold whilst she went to speak to someone. She then told me that it would be worthwhile attending court, and having someone to represent me. And she also told me that I was not entitled to legal aid.
I have tried to call the citizens advice today, but there was no one available to speak to - I will try again tomorrow.

A few people have told me that I will NOT goto jail, so I do feel slightly better. However, I have found other stuff on the internet showing the figures of people being sent to jail for this - and the majority of them were women.
I really feel like kicking myself for being so stupid and just totally forgetting to pay the licence for them periods - but I can honestly say that I was not in the right frame mind at that time.

Thanks again

vax2002

You have signed a contract of confession, this needs your name and your signature, you have signed to say that everything listed upon the document is the truth.
No name = No contract = no prosecution
Even if they have your name, they can do nothing until you sign for your name. By signing you agree to represent that "person" in court, that person has now become you, it is called joinder.
When you attend court you will be asked to sign in, another slimy trick, the signature will be brought to court to be compared to the one on the contract you signed.
But a bit late for that now.

meg72

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Not paying for a licence?

You will not go to prison, so stop worrying, but I have to say its probably cheaper to buy a licence than the fines.Good luck.

HappyMJ

miss1981 wrote: »

However, I have found other stuff on the internet showing the figures of people being sent to jail for this - and the majority of them were women.

Women tend to be the ones at home at the time the tv licence inspector calls. They then admit no licence exists and their lousy husbands don't pay the bill they then are supposed to use the child benefit to pay the fine and refuse to use that preferring to spend it on their own children or themselves the judge then says wilful refusal due to money being available and sends them to prison. It isn't that many. You will not go to prison.

miss1981

Actually Kurtis_Blue, I was paying my licence up until May 2011. I was suffering with severe depression and anxiety and when you are suffering constant panic attacks and thinking you are gonna drop dead at any given moment, then im afraid things such as tv licences are the very least of your worries. I dont mean that to sound like im having a go - im not - but that is the truth.

vax2002

A good solicitor and boy do they have to be good will wait to see who turns up at court, if the "inspector" does not as often they have got another job they will demand that you are identified by the witness to the court, as they can not the case can get slung out.