Under section 68.1 of Schedule 12 of the Tribunal Courts & Enforcement Act 2007 it is a very serious offence to obstruct a bailiff.
Last week yet another debtor was found guilty of this offence but even more seriously, he was also found guilty of assaulting the bailiff (the bailiff required stitches to his nose).
The debt was in relation to an unpaid penalty charge notice. Bailiffs attended the debtors property to request £422. It would seem that previous visits had also been made and on one of the visits, he had sworn at the bailiff before driving off. It was on the 4th visit that the incident occurred.
During the one day trial the debtors solicitor claimed that his client had suffered a stroke before the incident and this had led to him being unable to raise his left arm. Unfortunately for the debtor, the medical papers handed to the magistrates did not bear out the stroke claims stating only that Mr Gara had complained of 'weakness' in his arm.
After deliberating for 45 minutes, magistrates convicted Mr Gara of assault by beating on March 3rd and also of obstructing a lawful enforcement agent on the same occasion.
The presiding magistrate has requested pre sentence reports to be prepared before sentencing at the next hearing on 17th September.
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/15681/Bailiff-attacked-by-Thatcham-taxi-driver.html