Maximum magistrates’ court fines may increase four-fold

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Friday 20 June 2014

motorwayJustice minister Jeremy Wright is proposing to increase the maximum fines imposable by magistrate courts four-fold: meaning that the ceiling for level four offences such as motorway speeding could rise from £2,500 to £10,000.

Maximum fines for level one offences would go from £200 to £800, level 2 from £500 to £2000, level 3 from £1000 to £4000 and level 4 to £2500 to £10,000.

The increases would be the first since 1991, but magistrates imposed a record £284 million in fines in the financial year 2012-13 (at a time when the government claimed crime was falling), and the trend since has been one of continued increases.