Scottish Conservatives call for police to be able to double on-the-spot fines

Liam Kerr

The party said that the current fixed penalty notice (FPN) for offences including breach of the peace and vandalism should be doubled from £50 to £100.

The Anti-Social Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 lets police impose FPNs for 10 offences but the Conservatives argue there should be a two-tier system, to accommodate more serious offences.

Use of FPNs has declined significantly in recent years. In 2013/15, police issued 55,562, which fell to 42,956 in 2014/15 and 29,368 in 2015/16. In 2016/17, 15,363 were issued.

Justice spokesman Liam Kerr said that a harsher fine would act as a greater deterrent and give police more flexibility.

Mr Kerr said: “Doubling the fine for the more serious anti-social behaviour offences would be relatively easy. It means we can get tougher on the troublemakers who vandalise communities and intimidate their neighbours.

“This isn’t about allowing dangerous criminals to dodge court. Increased fines mean more crime could be punished, delivering swift justice to low-level offenders who might otherwise be let off the hook.

“It would be up to police when to impose this stiffer penalty. From speaking to officers, we know they feel some offending warrants a tougher punishment.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Alongside falling crime in Scotland, the public’s perception of anti-social behaviour being common in their area has fallen over the last decade, while an higher proportion of adults in Scotland feel safe walking in their local neighbourhood and the vast majority view it as a good place to live.

“While fixed penalty notices are an important tool in tackling anti-social behaviour, they form part of a wider range of powers which allow police and local authorities to exercise discretion and judgement when using the options available to them.

“We are committed to ensuring these agencies have the powers and resources needed. Were they to indicate that further measures or changes might assist them in supporting communities, clearly we would consider any such proposal.”