Magistrates: information resource will aid crime fight


Magistrates' courts are to have electronic access to one of the country's largest databases to help them track down offenders who ignore fines and other court penalties.


The courts in England and Wales will have access to the Department for Work and Pensions' electronic customer information system, which holds records on 85 million people.


However, the courts will only be able to view basic personal details such as a person's name, address, date of birth and national insurance number. The database will also be limited to authorised users, who will receive special training.


The system will be launched at courts in Cleveland and Leicestershire first, and rolled out nationally by the middle of September. It is expected that court staff will make up to 340,000 enquiries per year.


Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman QC said: 'One of the problems with fines enforcement is that it is difficult to get up-to-date information on where criminals are staying so it is hard for magistrates' courts to track them down quickly.


'This means that they can catch up with offenders who have moved house and refuse to obey the court much more quickly and easily.'


Last year, the Department for Constitutional Affairs struck a deal with credit reference agency Equifax, giving courts access to its database of more than 500 million records on individuals in the UK (see [2004] Gazette, 14 October, 11).