Fines dodgers have been warned to pay up or have their wages frozen after a Fort William hotel worker who owed more than £700 had his earnings seized.
The Lochaber man had six unpaid fines for road traffic off ences, drugs misuse and drinking in public and had repeatedly failed to pay. After ignoring warning letters and off ers to set up a payment schedule, an earnings seizure order was issued at Greenock JP Court and the £720 he owed was paid in full. He was one of a number of fines dodgers who settled their balances after receiving a nasty surprise when their bank accounts or earnings were seized. An Alness man had his account frozen for repeatedly failing to pay. the man was fined £450 at Oban Sheriff Court for drink driving and paid £30 but failed to settle the outstanding amount. Fines enforcement off cers issued a Bank Arrestment Order and the £420 was fully paid.
Freezing bank accounts or arresting wages are among a number of measures available to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) for recovering unpaid fines. Other enforcement measures include clamping vehicles, taking money directly from benefits and arresting non-payers travelling through ports and airports.