A MAN from Ulverston has been given a suspended prison sentence after failing to pay fines owed to the court for more than four years.
Paul Round, of Rydal Road in Ulverston, admitted failing to pay £252.87 in fines imposed after a conviction at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court on March 18 in 2015.
The 48-year-old was allowed more time to pay the outstanding amount and was given a five-day prison sentence suspended for 12 months.
Magistrates decided the offence was serious enough to warrant a custodial sentence because Round had showed a culpable unwillingness to pay and other sentencing powers had been tried or considered and appeared unsuitable or unsuccessful.
They also said a money payment supervision order and an attachment of earnings order were inappropriate.
Round was ordered to begin paying at a rate of £6 a week. The first payment is due by June 26.
Magistrates told him if he failed to pay his prison sentence could be imposed.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here