Criminal Record for TV License

Savvy_Sue

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Did she sign something she did not read or is she claiming the evidence was tampered with after she signed it?

Or even sign something she did not understand even if she read it?

Lilyann

Can you actually go to jail for not paying your license fee?!

HappyMJ

Lilyann wrote: »

Can you actually go to jail for not paying your license fee?!

No you cannot.

You can go to prison for non payment of court fines. That's nothing to do with the TV licence though.

The sentence for defaulting on a small court fine is usually 7 or 14 days.

The record will only show that a fine was imposed and no sentence was given. Defaulting on a fine is not a criminal offence.

Mishomeister

unholyangel wrote: »

Maybe she has a computer?

I've read more than a few stories (and a court transcript) about TVL taking the opinion that if you own the equipment you MUST be watching/recording live broadcasts. And they'll all tell you never to sign anything as they're not above fabricating evidence.

Its just not worth the money. Especially not when you can get netflix or lovefilm at half the cost.

I think based on that logic the next thing would be to start charging anyone who is not blind hence if you have eyes means you watch the TV. Even if you are blind they could still charge you half price hence you can still listen to it. If you are both blind and deaf you are fine not paying for one however you will have to evidence that you can not watch it in court

Mishomeister

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Did she sign something she did not read or is she claiming the evidence was tampered with after she signed it?

She has first signed the form and then TV License moron has put a tick saying that she has a TV.

Cornucopia

On that basis, and irrespective of the legal outcome, I would suggest that your friend complains to their local MP and to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management. The TVL field staff cannot be allowed to wantonly commit perjury like that.

:mad:

Mishomeister

Cornucopia wrote: »

On that basis, and irrespective of the legal outcome, I would suggest that your friend complains to their local MP and to the BBC's Head of Revenue Management. The TVL field staff cannot be allowed to wantonly commit perjury like that.

:mad:

The problem is that corporations(incl TV License) are always wright and small ordinary people are always guilty. Magistrate court decision was made on the basis that TV license is such 'reputable' company so they can not be lying meaning it is my friend who is a liar .

Jinks

unholyangel wrote: »

Maybe she has a computer?

I've read more than a few stories (and a court transcript) about TVL taking the opinion that if you own the equipment you MUST be watching/recording live broadcasts. And they'll all tell you never to sign anything as they're not above fabricating evidence.

Its just not worth the money. Especially not when you can get netflix or lovefilm at half the cost.

I have read this before and it is scary to me, as someone who does not own nor watch any television but, like most people, needs a computer for work and keeping in touch with people. When I moved in I had letters from TV licensing complaining about non-payment of license but they stopped when I wrote back and told them I didn't have a TV. However, I've been a bit worried ever since about getting a visit. My computer can't receive a live TV broadcast (as far as I'm aware, I would need a bit of extra kit to do that) but computers are in their list of TV-receiving equipment on their letter and I have heard a lot of stories from people who have had trouble with them.

I also find the attitude that anyone who is not paying a TV license must be committing a crime extremely offensive! I wouldn't mind if they had simply sent a polite letter asking if I owned a television or not, but they were threatening letters assuming criminal activity from the get-go. Apparently they think human beings who don't watch TV do not exist! Clearly I am some sort of mutant.

OP, I hope your friend manages to come through this unscathed.

Altarf

Jinks wrote: »

My computer can't receive a live TV broadcast (as far as I'm aware, I would need a bit of extra kit to do that)

Your computer can with just an internet connection - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/bbc_one_london/watchlive Careful clicking that link if you don't have a TV licence!

The BBC pay Capita to enforce TV licencing. They send their staff to addresses that show on the database as not having a licence.

A knock on the door, and then with a lot of bluff, bluster and officialese (cautioning people under PACE) "do you have a TV","no", what can I hear / see then?" "OK, Yes", "do you have licence", "um, ah, maybe, possibly, probably, yes", "please sign here to confirm our conversation".

The official act works on a lot of people, and people don't like to say no when when an official asks them to sign something. And the signature = guilty for that person. Interestingly vastly more women than men are prosecuted for no TV licence, since they tend to be the ones at home when the person from Capita is likely to call.

Cornucopia

Unfortunately, and being the BBC, one of the things they do is to create this spectre of heavy-handed and arbitrary enforcement. Whilst they are miscarriages of justice like the one in this thread, and whilst the BBC's attitudes and processes do little to prevent them, most people's experiences with them are generally better.

The issue is that the licence is for TV reception. Unfortunately many people believe that it is for TV ownership, which is wrong.

Therefore a computer with an Internet connection might be used for TV reception (via iPlayer) and it might not. The reality is that they mostly prosecute on confession evidence. And, again, some of this is taken using various deceits. However, as long as a computer owner is adamant that they do not watch/record TV broadcasts, then there is little that TVL can do, and (more importantly) would want to do.

At the extreme, you can ban TVL from your home, and you can deny them access to a password-protected PC unless they get a special court order (which they will not get).