Letter to Bradford Magistrates

West Yorkshire Magistrates' Court "Service"
Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Courts
Magistrate Court
PO Box 187
The Tyrls
Bradford BD1 1JL

8 July 2004


Sirs,

I refer to the matter of my attendance in your Bradford Court before Mr Brian Venables on 2 July, when he took action to recover fines in respect of diverse motoring offences, despite my claim that no sums were outstanding. As I explained at the time, I had merely offset the sum owed to me by yourselves as a result of the unlawful action of your agents, and paid the balance – an entirely normal commercial practice.

However, since you have now – by force majeur – extracted the sum you believed you were owned, leaving the amount owed to me unpaid, I enclose my invoice for the same, to the sum of £975.50, in the expectation of immediate payment.

In this context, I have been advised by one of your own magistrates that I should seek recovery of this sum through the civil courts – a suggestion which I find unacceptable in view of the unlawful action of your agents. Why should I expend my time and money on recovering something which you should, in all equity, remit without recourse to such action?

Nevertheless, given the principle involved, I am quite willing to pursue this action – in the event of your non-payment – with the maximum of attendant publicity.

Yours sincerely,

Richard North (Dr)