... by 10%. Offenders would instead be sentenced to community service, or in the case of the worse offences, even custodial penalties. The Magistrates Court Act 1980 imposed that the court would have to consider the offenders means, allowing the magistrates to reduce fines if the criminal was poor, it would also prevent fine to be increased if the offender was wealthy. When the fine was used during this period, it tended to be used against the middle class. In Messana2, the defendant was fined £20,000, for handling a stolen motorbike worth £11,500; the Court of Appeal later reduced this to £5000. Also in Fairbairn3, the defendant had stolen parcels worth £600-£700 while working for British Rail. He was sentenced to 9 months in prison and fined £7500, again the Court of Appeal reduced this to £1000. The Tory government decided to reform the fine system, the current system was hitting its ...

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