There are cases when all options to recover outstanding payments have been exhausted. In this event the Council has no option but to issue a summons for you to attend a committal hearing at the Magistrates Court. This means the Council will ask the court to send you to prison.
At the court hearing the Magistrates will decide if you have deliberately refused to pay or have always overlooked paying. You may be asked questions by the Magistrates and by a representative of the Council. When the Magistrates have heard the case they can make one of several decisions:
Adjournment
If more information or evidence is needed before a decision can be made a case can be postponed until a later date.
Court order without a suspended sentence
You will be ordered to pay a set amount. If you do not keep up with the payments you will be ordered back to court to explain why you have not paid. The Magistrates will then decide what to do next.
Court order with a suspended sentence
You will be ordered to pay a set amount. If you do not keep up the payments you will be sent to prison for a set amount of time.
Committal to prison
The Magistrates can send you to prison straight away.
