HMCS Magistrates Courts

Market leader in Court Enforcement

Marston has 27 years experience in the enforcement of Magistrates' Court fines. Since April 2006, HMCS and HMRC appointed Marston as the sole enforcement agency in London, South East, South West and North West regions. This represents approximately 65% of all distress and arrest warrants issued in England and Wales.

The company offers a comprehensive service nationwide.

• Enforcement of unpaid court fines (distress warrants)
• Arrest warrants, bail, no bail, breach and committal
• Qualified custody officers (Home Office standard)
• Dedicated custody vehicles - equipped to Home Office standards
• Compensation and confiscation orders
• Clamping orders
• HMRC Inland Revenue collections
  

Case Study

Operation Payback

Focusing on "the criminals that appear to get away with it", a BBC film crew shadowed Marston during a high profile operation (Payback) in the Thames Valley Magistrates' Authority area.

Working in partnership with the courts, this type of operation increases the effectiveness of the law when applied in a controlled and proactive manner.

Marston managed this 7-day Payback Operation and supplied over 70 highly trained Enforcement Officers. The team worked round the clock to ensure that criminals had no hiding place. In addition to recovering court fines, the Enforcement Officers also collected compensation payments due to the victims of crime.

Operation Payback provides the victims with the reassurance that their needs have not been over looked. It may also help some to gain a sense of closure - to know that the criminals have not "got away with it".

Over £250,000 was recovered - much of it from defaulters who thought they were untouchable. The team also made over 180 arrests, of which 92 were bailed to attend court at a later date and 10 went straight to prison. Crucially, the Enforcement Officers were also able to match defaulters to other outstanding warrants and collect outstanding debts.

Demand for this type of operation is growing and the Ministry of Justice and the Courts plan a series of follow-up operations.