Mug shots will be used to clear unpaid fines backlog
Police mug shots are to be made available to magistrates courts in a bid to recoup nearly £2m in unpaid fines.
Offenders photographs will be used to help the magistrates courts identify wilful defaulters of criminal fines where an offenders identity is in question.
Disputes over a persons identity can occur in up to 13,500 cases every year.
The introduction of the measure could lead to the additional collection of an estimated £1.8m in outstanding fines each year.
Currently, a mug shot can be used by the courts for prosecution purposes but not for enforcement.
Under the new proposals, the police would supply a magistrates court with a copy of a photograph of the offender taken when they are charged.
Courts Minister Christopher Leslie said: “It is ridiculous that court officials, trying to ensure compliance with sentences, have not had this basic tool to help them catch the criminal defaulter. It is clearly right to change the law and close this loophole.”
Maria Wallis, ACPOs lead on criminal justice and Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall, said the change would help in executing other warrants such as distress and community penalty breach warrants which are also not enforced because the persons identity is in dispute.
The proposal, tabled by the Government as an amendment to the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, is due to be debated in the House of Commons.