A judge overseeing Dublin’s TV licence prosecutions has said a “contagion” of defendants dodging court had forced him to adopt a “draconian” approach by ordering gardaí to arrest the “no shows”.
In his opening remarks at Dublin District’s Court on Friday, Judge Anthony Halpin added that he wanted Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to prioritise the warrants issued for those who deliberately evade their cases.
“So if An Garda Síochána turns up at your door and arrests you and brings you to the earliest possible sitting of the District Court, you have only yourself to blame,” Judge Halpin said.
The prosecutions are brought by An Post against TV owners who have not paid their €160 annual television licence fees. A special weekly list hears the capital’s cases where the judge has noticed a “dramatic and exceptional” drop and commented that “the patience of the court can be exhausted”.
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During the summer, Judge Halpin criticised RTÉ for what he described as elitism, “Godlike personalities”, and “freeloaders” while defendants were “crippled with the cost of living”.
At Friday’s prosecution of 150 defendants, about 35 of failed to show up, resulting in bench warrants being issued.
The judge usually imposes a €150 fine plus an order for €100 toward prosecution costs to be paid within three months.
Judge Halpin said his court showed “understanding and compassion” but added that “the patience of the court can be exhausted by those who refuse to buy the licence and seemingly try to justify same so as to ease their conscience”.
“The dramatic and exceptional fall-off in renewal subscriptions has not escaped anyone’s attention,” he said.
He said that in the past, anyone who failed to turn up usually received a fine in their absence. “But given the contagion and the septicity of the present state of play, I am obligated to depart from that routine and adopt a rather draconian process,” he said.