A grieving widow has been convicted under the controversial Single Justice Procedure (SJP) for failing to pay a £35 vehicle tax bill on her deceased husband's car. The 51-year-old woman, from near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, was prosecuted by the DVLA after the payment was missed in the weeks following her husband's death last July.
In a letter to Barrow-in-Furness Magistrates' Court, the widow explained that she does not drive, has never owned a car, and was overwhelmed by grief and funeral arrangements. She stated that English is not her first language and that she mistakenly did not pay £35.84 in vehicle tax on her husband's Jaguar, which was kept parked at her home and not used on public roads.
Despite her mitigation, magistrate Dawn Towart convicted the woman and imposed a six-month conditional discharge, ordering her to pay £85 in costs and the outstanding £35.84 tax bill. The magistrate opted not to refer the case back to the DVLA to assess whether prosecution remained in the public interest.
A DVLA spokesperson said that a guilty plea with mitigation can be referred back to the agency, but that decision rests with the magistrate. The SJP system, which allows fast-track prosecutions behind closed doors, has faced criticism for targeting vulnerable individuals. The Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Sue Carr, revealed that a review of the SJP has been conducted, though its findings have not been made public.
Campaigners have long called for reform of the secretive system, citing cases such as an 87-year-old woman with dementia who was convicted over £43 of unpaid car tax. The Government consulted on potential changes a year ago but has yet to take action.
