It seems as though all charges against the motorist are being increased these days!
The Victim Surcharge is an additional charge made upon the conviction of a defendant at court. It is imposed in addition to a fine if the offence is punishable by a fine. The money collected through the victim surcharge is paid into a fund aimed at helping improve services for victims of crime, and when it was introduced, it was decided to be fixed at a flat rate regardless of the size of the fine
First introduced in 2007 as part of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 it was brought in as a fixed rate of £15.00 back then but now the revisions to victim surcharge, effective 1 October 2012 have been published.
As of 1 October 2012 the following provisions will apply (SI 2012/1693):
| Offenders aged 18 or over | Offenders aged under 18 years | Companies etc |
|---|---|---|
| a) a conditional discharge at a flat rate of £15; b) a fine at 10% of the fine value, with a minimum amount of £20 and a maximum amount of £120; c) a community sentence at a flat rate of £60; d) a suspended sentence of imprisonment or detention in a young offenders’ institution at- i) £80 for a sentence of 6 months and below; and ii) £100 for a sentence of over six months but not more than 12 months; e) an immediate sentence of imprisonment or detention in a young offenders’ institution (initially imposed only by a Crown Court) at- i) £80 for a sentence of 6 months and below ii) £100 for a sentence of over 6 months and up to 2 years; and iii) £120 for a sentence over 2 years. |
a) a conditional discharge at £10; b) a fine, a Youth Rehabilitation Order or Referral Order at £15; and c) a custodial sentence of any length (initially imposed only by a Crown Court) at £20. |
a) a conditional discharge at a flat rate of £15; and b) a fine at 10% of the fine value, with a minimum amount of £20 and a maximum amount of £120. |
Whilst we are sure most people agree with the concept of making an offender pay for the support of his victim, we have always thought that charging defendants the same amount regardless of the offence with which they have been convicted to be a little illogical. This new scheme may address this imbalance to some extent but with a maximum charge of £120 for even the most heinous of crimes, we are not sure that victims will agree with us.
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