Pop-up courts for speeding fine cases

Motorists who want to challenge speeding fines will be forced to attend new “pop-up” courts temporarily opening in their own neighbourhoods, under plans being considered by ministers.

Proposals are to be put forward for roving magistrates who will hold court hearings in village halls and community centres.

The move would end the requirement for all defendants charged with low-level offences to attend a central court building.

Mike Penning, the Conservative minister behind the plan, believes it would force people to think twice before challenging speeding tickets

and other low-level penalties if they are faced with having to argue their cases in public in their own neighbourhoods.

The proposal would restore the principle of community justice and allow residents in an area to see justice being done, Mr Penning said.

It could also save money by reducing the backlog of cases at magistrates’ courts, he said.

“This is what magistrates were always meant to be about – a representative from the local community administering justice,” said

Mr Penning, the police and justice minister.

“Some people are more than happy to go off to places where they are not known and say, 'Why should I be prosecuted for doing x miles an hour above the speed limit’ when actually it is very dangerous.

“If they think their local community will know exactly what happened, we might see some common sense and fewer cases challenged. It will also transform the public’s view of justice being seen to be done.”

The police can issue motorists with on-the-spot fines of up to £100 for less serious traffic offences, such as careless driving, failing to wear a seat belt, or driving too close to another vehicle.

The offence of driving while using a mobile phone can also be treated in this way.

Penalty points are added to offenders’ licences when fines are issued and drivers can be disqualified if they have accumulated 12 points within a three-year period. Anyone refusing to pay the fixed penalty notice has to challenge the case in court.

All criminal cases begin in magistrates’ courts but serious charges are then sent to Crown Courts, where sentences of more than six months can be imposed.

Mr Penning said his plan could apply to “lots of low-level crimes that have to be dealt with in the magistrates’ courts”.

Offences including minor criminal damage, failure to pay the TV licence fee, and being drunk and disorderly are all normally handled by magistrates.

“If you just look at traffic offences: if you want to contest a driving offence at the moment you end up in a magistrates’ court and you go off to the magistrates’ court wherever that may be. It may be miles away if you live in a rural part of the country.”

Magistrates could sit for two days per month in a civic centre in one town in an area before moving to other locations on other days, he said. A court clerk, officials, one or two magistrates and a police officer would be able to set up a temporary court in a town or village hall.

“If we take it even further down the line to the village hall, perhaps it will be a job for the village bobby.

“Instead of having the public forced to come to the courts, for this sort of offence the public should see justice in their own communities.”

Mr Penning said he had “a very open mind” about the potential offences which could be dealt with by roving magistrates in this way, adding that the plan was expected to be put to a formal public consultation.

“There will be discussions as to other offences that may be heard at this low-level court.”