police penalty fines

[justme1]

hey everyone, just looking for some advice please...Iwas recently given a police penalty fine for �80 becuase of retail theft..think its down as class one...I've sent off to pay for the fine but just wondered what happens next..on the back of the notice it mentioned something about admission of guilt and that really confused me! Also, I'm guessing that this goes on the CRB forms so does that mean that any hope of working as a teacher or something similar is out of the window? Final q...does this get printed in local newspapers or does that only happen if it goes to court? SO CONFUSED!!!

[Ethel]

If you pay your fine you do so because you accept that you did it and you are guilty.
If that is not the case, don't pay the fine and go to court.

If you do pay the penalty it does not show on your CRB, nor is it published in the paper.
No. Receipt of a penalty notice offers the recipient the opportunity to discharge their liability to conviction for the offence to which the notice relates or to request a court hearing. Payment of a penalty involves neither a finding nor an acceptance of guilt and removes the possibility of being proceeded against or gaining a record of criminal conviction for the offence for which the notice was issued.
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-po licing/crime-disorder/index.html/212291/

By the way, is s.1 of the Theft Act, not class 1.

[mcfcscott]

No a fixed penalty notice is basically an on the spot fine. It eliminates your prescence at court, but payment is an admission of guilt. it will not go down as a criminal record, neither will it be published in your local rag. However, if you are innocent or the police case cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt, then take your chance in court.