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The Nolan Show: A west Belfast grandmother sent to jail for not paying her TV licence fine.

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A west Belfast grandmother sent to jail for not paying her TV licence fine.

BBC Radio Ulster - The Nolan Show, A west Belfast grandmother sent to jail for not paying her TV licence fine.

Anne Smith is 59 and from Poleglass. She suffers from COPD and osteoporosis.

This morning as this programme starts a west belfast grandmother is sitting in prison. Her crime? Not paying her TV licence. The story was first reported in the Irish News. 
Anne Smith is 59 and from Poleglass. She suffers from COPD and osteoporosis. Mrs Smith was ordered to present herself to police on Wednesday evening. that came after she failed to pay a £1,100 fine.

TV Licensing spokesperson: 
 
"Newspaper reports say Mrs. Smith has been sentenced to prison for non-payment of court fines for TV Licence evasion. The sentence is a matter for the courts and TV Licensing has no involvement in this decision. We do everything we can to help people pay and only prosecute as a last resort when all other options are exhausted. The maximum penalty for watching TV illegally is a fine of up to £1,000 (plus court costs and a victim surcharge). 
 
The majority of first time offenders are not prosecuted if they buy a licence within a specified time. There are many ways to pay, including weekly cash payments and we are currently trialling the Simple Payment Plan which offers even more help to those who might struggle to pay.  We work with nearly 500 organisations across the UK, including many in Northern Ireland, to offer advice and support."

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A west Belfast grandmother sent to jail for not paying her TV licence fine.

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