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<p /> <p>The courts are provided with guidance on sentencing and other ways of dealing
with offenders, such as fine enforcement, by sentencing guidelines. These are issued
by the Sentencing Council, which is independent of Government. The enforcement of
fines imposed for the offence of TV licence evasion, which is non-imprisonable, is
dealt with by the magistrates’ courts. The Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines
can be found at the link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/MCSG_web_-_October_2014.pdf"
target="_blank">http://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/MCSG_web_-_October_2014.pdf</a></p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>Pages 156 to 159 of the guidelines provide guidance to the courts on
the enforcement of fines. This applies to all fines enforced by the magistrates’ courts:
there is no specific guidance on dealing with offenders who have failed to pay a fine
imposed for the offence of TV licence evasion.</p><p> </p><p>The courts are required
by law to follow any relevant sentencing guidelines unless it would be contrary to
the interests of justice to do so.</p>
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