A chronically ill Belfast woman has been imprisoned for non-payment of her TV licence fine.
A warrant was issued for the arrest of Anne Smith, 59, after she defaulted on a fine of £1,000 imposed after she was convicted of TV licence evasion.
The mother of four, grandmother of twelve has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and debilitating osteoarthritis, which has left her awaiting a double hip replacement operation.
Police called at Anne's Poleglass home last Friday and arrested her on warrant. She was given until Monday to make payment arrangements with the court, but was unable to do so. Anne was asked to attend the police station yesterday evening, where she was arrested and transported to Hydebank Prison to begin her six day sentence.
Speaking of her ordeal, Anne said: "I think it is utterly ridiculous that they would arrest a woman over a TV licence. I wish I had just paid the fines.
"I broke my hip and was unable to get out of the house for a whole year. In hindsight, I should have had a licence but because of my health, and I had to help my sister through cancer, I didn't get to do it."
Anne was very worried about not being able to take her COPD medication into prison, as she has great difficulty breathing. She also explained how she had attempted to pay the fine, but had been prevented from doing so for administrative reasons.
Ms Smith's friend and neighbour, Marie Flynn said she was "absolutely disgusted" as "at the end of the day" her friend had "tried to pay" the fines.
"I'm really annoyed. She is 59. She has health problems. TV licensing is not being very fair. She knows she has to pay it. It's not as if she was trying to get out of it."
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4 comments:
"Police called at Anne's Poleglass home last Friday and arrested her on warrant."
Isn't it great to see the Police swing into action over this Heinous Crime?
The BBC Protection Racket continues until the Public decides otherwise ;-)
nonroadusr
The crime is not paying a legal fee enforced by the courts, not for refusing to pay for a TV licence. As silly as it sounds, you could be arrested under warrent for not paying a fine for dropping litter on the streets. What a wonderful world we live in.
This just shows how stupid the licensing system is. The BBC could protect its revenue by encrypting its broadcasts and having conditional access. There's no real need to use the courts to act as its debt enforcement agency. Unfortunately a combination of cowardice in politicians and greed and arrogance at the BBC keeps the whole disgusting show on the road - but only for a few more years.
the BBC needs money to defend it's paedos.
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