Coronavirus: Disease Control

(asked on 16th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of mechanisms to appeal against fines issued under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020.


Answered by
Chris Philp Portrait
Chris Philp
Minister of State (Home Office)
This question was answered on 22nd March 2021

There are adequate mechanisms to appeal fines imposed by magistrates’ courts under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) England) Regulations 2020. The rights to appeal sentences imposed in relation to these offences are the same as the rights to appeal in relation to any other criminal offence. Any defendant may appeal to the Crown Court and have a full rehearing before a judge and two magistrates. In addition, if the defendant was not aware of the proceedings, they may make a statutory declaration before a magistrate or justices’ legal adviser which has the effect of revoking the conviction. Finally, magistrates’ courts can revoke convictions and amend sentences under section 142 of the Magistrates Court Act 1980 if later satisfied that they were made in error.

Reticulating Splines