Marstons Arrest Warrant

Pinkman78

I got an arrest warrant from Marstons in the post a while back, I googled it and based on what I found I decided to ignore it, not sure if I did the right thing or not. I had no idea what it was for.

The letter contained the name and phone number for one of their bailiffs. She called me yesterday and asked me to attend my local court and booked me in. I was in work at the time and couldnt get into a discussion about it so I pretty much just agreed with the time and date. She said it looks like its a speeding fine or something.

What can I do? Do I have to attend court? What will happen if I do or don't?

sourcrates

Well first off, a bailiff has no powers of arrest.

This is from Google:

It is a play on words related to the 'no-bail warrant' legislation under section 117 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980, which only allows for a warrant to endorse bail. Private bailiff companies unofficially use this method to track down debtors with unpaid court fines for commercial gain. They place intimidating documents in letterboxes to scare recipients into calling the bailiff on the provided mobile number and reveal their new address and mobile number.

When a magistrates court wants to summon an offender's attendance, it issues a warrant to a uniformed constable under Section 83 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980 to arrest the offender and bring them before the court.

Does your arrest warrant look like the one here:

Bailiff Arrest Warrants (nationalbailiffadvice.uk)

You probably have an outstanding fine for something, but I have not heard of this before, unsure what Marston`s angle would be on this.

fatbelly

Pinkman78 said:

I got an arrest warrant from Marstons in the post a while back, I googled it and based on what I found I decided to ignore it, not sure if I did the right thing or not. I had no idea what it sounds lika a magistrates court fine of some desciptionit was for.

The letter contained the name and phone number for one of their bailiffs. She called me yesterday and asked me to attend my local court and booked me in. I was in work at the time and couldnt get into a discussion about it so I pretty much just agreed with the time and date. She said it looks like its a speeding fine or something.

What can I do? Do I have to attend court? What will happen if I do or don't?

It sounds like a Magistrates Court fine of some description. I'd advise to attend. The list of options is in this factsheet. Some are quite benign

https://nationaldebtline.org/get-information/guides/magistrates-court-fines-ew/

If it's not Magistrates Court, post again

DisabledDan

Another shocking abuse of the system by Marstons, people need to report these scoundrels to the FCA not for your individual case but for general behaviour.

Effectively they are passing themselves off, misleading people and acting in an underhand manner.

Look for CONC rules they may have breached and also make a complaint to the FOS.

https://www.handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/CONC/1/?view=chapter

Get to the bottom of the fine and settle it directly with the Court

If you like to be amused by these dankers then 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpQUv3KdklU


and 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7qVcc74xZU

fatbelly

It sounds like this debt is not consumer credit and has got to the Further Action part of the process. This sounds like a 'warrant without bail'