A 53-year-old woman from Newmarket, Suffolk, has been found guilty by a secret court for failing to pay her car tax. The prosecution was brought by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) through a secretive Single Justice Procedure (SJP) hearing, as reported by the London Evening Standard. Court documents indicate that the car tax on her Vauxhall expired shortly after she received a breast cancer diagnosis.
In a letter to the court, the woman explained her situation. She detailed her diagnosis of stage three breast cancer in June 2024, followed by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. She stated that she had forgotten to tax her car during her cancer treatment and expressed her regret. Despite this mitigation, the case proceeded to the magistrate. The Standard noted that there is no legal obligation for prosecutors to review mitigation letters.
The woman made two payments of £80 and pleaded guilty to the charge of keeping an unlicensed vehicle. A magistrate in Northumberland, over 270 miles away from her home, ultimately waived the fine. However, the conviction remains, and she was required to pay £47.50 in compensation. The Telegraph reported in November that the DVLA, which handles approximately 180,000 SJP prosecutions annually, has faced criticism for pursuing cases against vulnerable individuals, including the elderly and disabled. Examples cited included a 78-year-old with dementia fined for lacking car insurance while residing in a care home, and a 33-year-old facing a substantial legal bill for a minor payment error to the DVLA.
5 Comments
ytkonos
If exceptions are made, where do you draw the line? Consistency is important.
dedus mopedus
While the woman's situation is terrible, the DVLA has a duty to enforce car tax laws.
lettlelenok
She admitted guilt. You can't blame the DVLA entirely for enforcing the law.
Habibi
The DVLA is acting like a ruthless debt collector, devoid of empathy. Where's the human element?
ZmeeLove
The court heard the plea of mitigation. The judge reviewed everything.