A woman dying from breast cancer has been branded a ‘criminal’ after being hit with a ‘fast-track’ conviction for failing to pay her TV licence.
The 50-year-old mother, who has stage 4 breast cancer, was interviewed on her doorstep by a TV Licensing inspector for not paying the £169.50 annual charge.
Despite pleading her case, she was prosecuted under the controversial single justice procedure and last week received a criminal conviction.
In a heartbreaking handwritten later to the court, the terminally-ill woman described how she was in constant agony, writing: ‘I have been very stressed and depressed. I’m currently having on-going treatment for terminal cancer.
‘Further to this, every day is a struggle. I’m in a lot of pain and struggle to move out of bed. I get my daughter to help me with everyday needs.’
However, TV Licensing has now issued an apology to the cancer sufferer and admitted her case should never have come to court.
Vowing to get the conviction overturned, the agency told the Evening Standard: ‘This case should not have proceeded to prosecution and we are extremely sorry for this.
‘We will be writing to the customer to apologise directly and we will be re-opening the case as soon as possible so the prosecution can be withdrawn.’
The Standard, which raised the issue with TV Licensing, said a prosecution was brought after the woman refused to comply with an out-of-court settlement.
After being convicted, she received a three-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay costs of £26.
According to court papers, the woman’s benefits had also recently been withdrawn.
The single justice procedure allows magistrates to sit alone and in private to deal with low-level criminal cases.
Handing out convictions based on written evidence alone, it was hoped the system would help to speed up the time it takes to deal with crimes.
First introduced in 2015, the process is now used for around three-quarters of a million criminal cases each year – with crimes like fare evasion, speeding and anti-social behaviour among those being dealt with.
However, the new measure has led to a litany of shocking criminal cases, which has seen pensioners, the terminally-ill and people were severe learning difficulties being fined behind-closed-doors.
In a key intervention, the Magistrates’ Association – which represents JPs across England and Wales – is now calling on action to tackle the ‘harm’ caused by the single justice procedure on ‘society’s most vulnerable’.
The organisation last week issued a 12-point action plan calling for urgent changes to the system, after magistrates found they were ‘uncomfortable’ with it and branded it ‘flawed’.
Among the points includes a new public interest check by prosecutors before some cases come to court as well as further training for magistrates, with only experienced JPs allowed to sit on cases.
And the association demanded greater transparency, urging for journalists to be allowed to watch hearings like they’re able to in other criminal cases.
Both the Conservatives and Labour have vowed to review the system after today’s election.