An 86-year-old man from the outskirts of Newcastle has been convicted and ordered to pay £3.34 in compensation for failing to pay a portion of his car tax, despite having Parkinson’s disease and significant caregiving responsibilities for his wife, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

The man’s case arose after his Ford Fiesta was left untaxed for approximately six weeks in January. According to the defendant, the delay was due to his daughter, who manages the couple’s finances, moving house at that time. The annual car tax amounted to £20, and the unpaid portion that resulted in prosecution was only £3.34.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) initiated a criminal prosecution earlier this year under the Single Justice Procedure (SJP), a streamlined legal process that handles low-level offenses behind closed doors without a traditional hearing. The man pled guilty in writing to using a vehicle without a valid license and provided a mitigation letter outlining his health problems and his wife’s condition. He explained that his daughter oversees their financial and welfare matters due to their advanced ages and health challenges.

Despite already having paid an £80 penalty, the pensioner was uncertain why the prosecution had proceeded. At Lincoln magistrates’ court, District Judge Lynda Briggs accepted his guilty plea but issued an absolute discharge and imposed only the small compensation order to cover the untaxed period. No additional fine was levied.

The case has reignited discussions about the fairness and appropriateness of the SJP system, which has faced criticism for lacking transparency and for disproportionately affecting elderly and vulnerable individuals over minor infractions such as unpaid bills. Prosecutors under the SJP do not routinely review mitigation letters before proceeding, raising concerns about due process and proportionality.

The UK Government has been reviewing potential reforms to the SJP over the past 17 months, following reports of similar cases involving elderly defendants. The DVLA expressed support for introducing greater safeguards within the SJP framework during a consultation process that concluded in May last year. However, no formal changes to the system have been announced since then.