Do I have a declarable conviction?

mikemac2

In 2012 the TV license inspector called to the door and could clearly see my TV. He was a sound guy and told me to go the post office and get a licence

I then foolishly never bothered, ignored every reminder letter and eventually got a summons by registered post

I attended court in Dolphin House , Essex St Dublin. Some people told stories about difficulties and the judge gave them the probation act. Others got fined. Anyone who didn’t show up got a far bigger fine!

When I was called up I was asked I had anything to say and my reply was “nothing to say Judge” said respectfully of course. Hey I’m 100% guilty and not there to argue

I got a letter in the post and was given the option of paying my fine online. It had a name as Gaelige which I don’t recall. I paid and got a receipt and put it all behind me

My new employer has given me a standard form to declare convictions as part of the background check. Do I have a conviction? Do these things get wiped after a set number of years? I never heard the term conviction being used when I was in district court

Thanks

Lmklad

You can contact the Courts Office where you attended Court. They will tell you if you’ve and conviction and what it’s for. They won’t be open till Monday though.

dalyboy

No. You do not have conviction. You were fined, you paid the fine, you are cleared and have avoided a conviction . The problem would have been if you did not pay the fine imposed by the court. Then you would have been in contempt of court. As this stands presently you have no conviction and I would certainly not refer to it on a job application.

Victor

dalyboy wrote: »

No. You do not have conviction. You were fined, you paid the fine, you are cleared and have avoided a conviction . The problem would have been if you did not pay the fine imposed by the court. Then you would have been in contempt of court. As this stands presently you have no conviction and I would certainly not refer to it on a job application.

This post is of dubious quality.

Really Interested

dalyboy wrote: »

No. You do not have conviction. You were fined, you paid the fine, you are cleared and have avoided a conviction . The problem would have been if you did not pay the fine imposed by the court. Then you would have been in contempt of court. As this stands presently you have no conviction and I would certainly not refer to it on a job application.

Just to clear up one thing, a fine is a conviction, no ifs or buts. If a contribution is paid to the poor box and the matter is struck out then that is not a conviction. But and I know i will have to repeat this a fine can only be imposed post conviction.

hullaballoo

dalyboy wrote: »

No. You do not have conviction. You were fined, you paid the fine, you are cleared and have avoided a conviction . The problem would have been if you did not pay the fine imposed by the court. Then you would have been in contempt of court. As this stands presently you have no conviction and I would certainly not refer to it on a job application.

This is completely incorrect.

Fines are imposed on conviction. No court has jurisdiction to impose a fine without recording a conviction.

Court fines are not like fixed charge penalty notices, which are administrative fines that allow you to avoid a conviction.

Once you are fined by a court, it is as a result of being convicted.

slavetothegrind

I would add, NEVER go to court without representation.

Samuel T. Cogley

You're under no obligation to declare as the conviction is spent. It will still show up on Garda vetting however.