"A South Kerry town was caught by surprise when an inspector called last autumn The state collected more than €4,500 in fines for unpaid TV licence fees. So thronged was the small rural courthouse that the crowd spilled onto the street outside as defendants squeezed onto courtroom benches and stood shoulder-to-shoulder down the aisles. Many had never set foot in the courthouse before and exchanged nervous glances before proceedings began."
"The first defendant called was a diminutive Ukrainian grandmother in a pink jacket, who had arrived with her grandson to translate. The grandson explained she had subsequently applied for a free TV licence under the Household Benefits package available to those over 70. Judge John King struck her case from the record. She thanked him, then gave a small wave of thanks to court clerks and court reporters as she and her grandson left the courtroom."
"The TV licence inspector remained in the witness box while the judge heard 37 cases. Based on the national average of 2.5 people per household, this would represent about seven per cent of the town's population. In each instance, the judge asked the inspector how he had discovered the unlicensed television. It was quite simple, explained the inspector. When he knocked on the door of a household to inquire about their TV licence, people told him the truth."
An inspector visited Cahersiveen last autumn and identified numerous unlicensed television sets, leading to fines totaling more than €4,500. A small rural courthouse heard 37 cases, with the crowd spilling onto the street and some defendants standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Many defendants had never been inside a courthouse and had since purchased licences, while others had taken different measures such as landlords removing televisions. One elderly defendant successfully applied for a free Household Benefits TV licence. The inspector discovered unlicensed sets by knocking on doors and receiving truthful answers. Judge John King ordered repayment for the unlicensed periods plus €100 per case for court expenses.
Read at Irish Independent
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