Offenders who failed to pay fines handed out by the courts in Gwynedd and Anglesey have been targeted as part of a crackdown.
Over recent days a joint operation between officers from Her Majesty’s Court Service (HMCS) and North Wales Police was conducted, tackling offenders who had not met payment on fines imposed by the courts.
A total of 31 warrants have been executed within the North Gwynedd area, with fines outstanding to the value of £25,402.37.
The fines were for a variety of offences including assault, theft, and motoring offences.
Inspector Mark Armstrong, the Western Division lead on the operation said: “This operation was a huge success, and I would like to thank our colleagues at HMCS for their participation and support during the operation.
“It is our intention to ensure that when offenders are dealt with at court and a fine imposed, that these fines are paid, and if they are not, then these defaulters are targeted and asked to explain themselves to Magistrates.
“Based on the success of this operation I anticipate that we will conduct further such events in conjunction with our colleagues at HMCS in the coming months.”
Lyn Harding, Head of Enforcement for HMCS in Wales said: “North Wales Police and the Courts Service have joined together in a series of operations to target offenders who don’t pay their fines. By doing this we raise the profile amongst people who try to dodge payment to emphasise that they can’t get away with it. We also want to raise the confidence of the public in North Wales in the Criminal Justice System – when people default on paying their fines they will be pursued.”
Information regarding the payment of fines can be found on the www.directgov.co.uk website.
