WOMAN GETS 75 YEARS TO PAY COURT COSTS

Court: Drunken woman hit partner with bowl and a shoe

A woman was given 75 years to pay back a £900 court charge after assaulting her partner in a drunken row. Lorraine McCracken (40) of Lincoln Road, Peterborough, hit the man over the head with a shoe and a bowl in July this year.

The man suffered cuts to his head and face in the attack, and needed hospital treatment.

On Friday, McCracken was given a 12 month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100 and a Crown Court charge of £900 when she appeared at Peterborough Crown Court.

The court was told the charges are mandatory, and Recorder Ian Glen QC, sentencing, had no powers to withdraw the £1,000 bill - after saying he would rather not hand out the whole £900 fee.

Instead, he told McCrack- en she could pay the £900 bill in instalments - at the rate of £1 per month because of her limited finances. The ruling means it will take McCracken 75 years to clear the bill. She will be 115 years old by the time the fine has been completely paid if she continues paying at the same rate.

The Crown Court Charge, which was introduced in April is used to help fund the running of the court.

Speaking after the sentence, courts minister Shailesh Vara MP defended the charges, and said: “It is right that convicted adult offenders who use our criminal courts should pay towards the cost of running them.

“The introduction of this charge makes it possible to recover some of the costs of the criminal courts from these offenders, therefore reducing the burden on taxpayers.

“If the offender has limited financial means the courts can ask them to pay the charge in affordable instalments.”

Fiona Robinson, prosecuting, told the court McCracken had previous convictions for violent offences against the same man.

Mrs Robinson said there were wounds to the man’s head which needed staples inserted at hospital following the July attack.

Stephen Spence, defending, said while McCracken had been in custody waiting sentencing she had undertaken courses to help her beat her alcohol problem. He said she would be moving to a different area of the country following her release.

McCracken pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm at a previous hearing.

Shailesh Vara