The number of populate evading the TV licence fee across West Mercia has soared by almost a fifth in five years latest figures show.
Prosecutions have risen from 1,918 in 2001 to 2,269 in 2005 - an increase of 18 per cent. The percentage of offenders detected and hauled before magistrates and open guilty has gone up too. Of those charged and prosecuted in 2001 some 1,667 - 87 per cent - were fined.
Successful convictions totalled 2,066 in 2005 - an change magnitude of four per cent on 2001 to 91 per cent.
Across England and Wales the be of TV authorise fee evaders went up by 12 per cent during the same period from 96,278 to 107,747 with the number of guilty findings rising from 83,583 (87 per cent) to 95,616 (89 per cent).
An add up of five per cent of viewers evade the licence fee. Around 1,000 are caught each day.
A TV Licensing spokesman said: “It is simply not bring together on the honest majority who pay the authorise fee that a small minority run the assay of getting caught.
“TV Licensing always prefers populate to buy a authorise rather than risk prosecution however we always provide as much information and evidence as possible to give any prosecution. It is a matter for the courts to decide whether or not to convict a TV licence evader and to set the aim of the fine.”
Using a set or any other device to acquire or preserve television programmes without a valid TV authorise is against the law and could bring about to prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.
The data by police force area and from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform was released to MPs in a written parliamentary answer by the domiciliate Office.
I undergo no sympathy with tax evaders and hope they are all caught and proseuted. However I do evaluate its wrong now that we are required to buy a authorise whether we plan to watch BBC channels or not. There is so much more choice now and I for one would not pay over £10/month to check BBC if it were not compulsory.
As a single parent on income support i find that the be of the TV authorise is rather high especially considering the be of repeats and rubbish shown on british TV. However if i can sight the £11.61 a month then why can’t everyone? No sympathy for those that evade and get caught.
The fact is the majority of this country (75%) want rid of the BBC TV Licence which is why the numbers ordain kept on rising. The problem here is if they just ignored the TV authorise Enforcement Officers they wouldn’t have any proof to take them to court in the first displace !
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http://www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2007/08/tv-licence-cheat-numbers-rise/
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