in no way am I trying to justify knowing or unknowing late payment of tax disc
but since this is what has happened to myself and my husband
I am completely shocked to find out that despite it being a genuine mistake,
despite us resolving the unpaid fee/new tax disc and wheel clamping fine within days
my husband has been sent a court summons more than a year later!!!
when I called the DVLA to ask them about it,
they had minimal advice to offer on the subject and
when I asked to speak to someone in the relevant department I was told that "there is no one you can speak to"???
I really am shocked at this and the lack of external monitoring of the DVLA.
How can this be legal?
It is such a minor offence in the grand scheme of things,
to issue a court summons seems to me not only excessive but a complete waste of time and taxpayers money.
I understand that the DVLA issue a court summons to means test the fine amount, fair enough,
I don't think its a bad thing to means test such fines but through a court?
This is what I can't get over?
Being made to feel like petty criminals over a genuine mistake.
And I know we are by no means the only people genuine forgetting to update their car tax...
However, opinions of this broken system aside, I do need some advice regarding this.
Given that it was a difficult time (recent house move, 3yr old twin boys, doing a course OH with full time job, no family near by for support)
should we plead "guilty" or "not guilty"?
I don't feel guilty about this, mistakes happen, we resolved it with 3 days (over a wk end).
having never been in this situation I have absolutely no idea how to proceed and we can't afford to pay for legal advice....
Many many thankyous for any and all advice on this situation...