missed date for paying tv licence fine

fintonagirl

So.... I left a tv in my last rented accomodation and subsequently a fine was given to one of my housemates for non-payment of tv licence. I went to court with her and agreed to pay fine when notice came out. I did try to get in contact with her and have now eventually to hear that I missed emails with details of payment of fine.

Unfortunately the date for payment and also for court appearance has now passed (18th of May). I am so annoyed with self for making such a mess of it but want to figure out how to sort it, before the girl has a garda landing with a warrant for her.

Anyone any ideas on how best to proceed? Do I contact the court or local garda station to see was a warrant given? If I contact court, how? by going to the court initial case was in or by going to fines office? Will they even deal with me as the case is not in my name?

As an aside, I had brought money on day but case was rushed through and we were told to wait for letter in post. I am not currently living or working in area and seems that if there is an option to pay straight away that should be explained on the day in court?

Thanks

coylemj

There's no 'ticket' or on the spot fines for no TV licence so I'm a bit confused about your first sentence..

fintonagirl wrote: »

So.... I left a tv in my last rented accomodation and subsequently a fine was given to one of my housemates for non-payment of tv licence.

Did you mean to say that a summons (to appear in court) was issued to your housemate? If so, and the court case has now happened as you say, the court will write to the housemate (or whoever got the summons) with details of the fine. You or he/she can then send a cheque to the court to pay the fine. If nobody pays the fine, a warrant will be issued to the local Garda station and the local warrant officer will eventually come looking for payment or in default will haul your mate off to Mountjoy.

fintonagirl

sorry that wasn't clear. yes, housemate was summonsed to court and I attended with her. The judge set fine amount to be paid (tv had been sent to recycling, I wasn't living there... so no licence to be bought.. just payment of 80 euro fine)

She was to get back to me when she heard how payment was to be made in letter. I have only just seen letters (my fault.. she did email them in time, albeit just a week before) with date set for payment by 18th May and if not paid to appear at court on same date. Neither was done.

So basically my fear is that because of her non-appearance and non-payment of fine that there will be an even larger fine (for me to pay) or worse warrant for her.

coylemj

fintonagirl wrote: »

She was to get back to me when she heard how payment was to be made in letter. I have only just seen letters (my fault.. she did email them in time, albeit just a week before) with date set for payment by 18th May and if not paid to appear at court on same date. Neither was done.

That's not how the courts work. If you were fined then that's the end of the court case, unless you appeal. The only time you get an opportunity to come into the court with cash in the way you described is if you assaulted someone in which case the judge will sometimes adjourn the case for a couple of weeks and say that if you come back in a fortnight and hand over a specific amount of money to the victim, he will let you off with a fine or else he'll send you to jail.

In a case for no TV licence, all that should happen is that the guy from An Post says he called and asked for a TV licence and none was produced, then when there's no appearance for the defendant (the person named on the summons), the judge convicts and issues a fine, that's the end of the court case. If you were fined and the fine was to be paid by May 18th, there should be details in the letter as to how to pay it. It's not like a speeding ticket, you can still pay it even if it's overdue.

If you pay the fine through the district court office, they will issue a receipt, keep it handy in case they have already issued a warrant to the local Gardai, then if the warrant officer arrives on the doorstep, show him the receipt and you'll be fine.

fintonagirl

Thanks for your reply.. maybe I'm not being very coherent. The person in question was summonsed, appeared in court and was given fine. They were then sent out letter detailling how, and by when to pay fine. The Fine however was not paid and neither did the person appear in court on closing date for payment of fine (which it was stated that they should do in letter after court appearance).

What I was trying to figure out was, how does one now find out what was decided in court around non-payment of fine and when they didn't appear. Given that I've made a bit of a balls of it I want to try and sort it out now rather than waiting for garda with warrant to arrive at door and start threatening her with the Dochas.

coylemj

Pay the fine according to the procedure set out in the letter that you mentioned above, ignore the deadline date.

By the way, even if the Garda arrives on the doorstep with the warrant, he has to accept payment of the original fine in cash, even if you don't produce the money until you reach the gates of Mountjoy prison.

fintonagirl

just saw your edit, thanks. I will go with that and try and pay fine as was stated in letter and give her the receipt.