A MAN just about to emigrate to Australia had his new life put on hold when he was collared by cops for failing to pay a drink driving fine.

The drink driver had consistently avoided settling the fine imposed in 2015. Some payments were made but then stopped and he still owed more than £1000.

He ignored repeated warning letters and an arrest warrant was issued.

When he tried to catch a flight at Glasgow Airport heading to Sydney to take up a job and start a new life in Australia he was arrested by police.

He missed his flight and did not fly out until a family member paid the outstanding amount of £1,105.

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His story was shared in the 40th Quarterly Fines Report published today by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, which reveals three year collection rates for both sheriff and JP courts have increased to 90 per cent.

The collection rates show 90 per cent of the value of Sheriff Court fines and JP Court fines imposed during the three-year period between 2015/16 and 2017/18 has either been paid or is on track to be paid – a rise of one percentage point compared with the figure at 21 January, 2019.

Arresting non-payers travelling through ports and airports is one of a number of measures available to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) for recovering unpaid fines.

Other enforcement measures include clamping vehicles, arresting earnings, freezing bank accounts or taking money directly from benefits.

A Lanarkshire van driver who had unpaid fines for road traffic offences including driving without insurance, found his vehicle clamped twice within three months when he failed to settle the fines.

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Chief Operations Officer David Fraser said: “The latest Quarterly Fines Report reflects a 10-year success story of steady improvement in fines collection and illustrates how fines enforcement teams continue to be highly effective in securing unpaid fines.

“It is very unwise not to pay a fine or not to engage with an enforcement officer if someone is having difficulty paying.

“It can lead to being arrested at an airport or having a vehicle clamped as the recent detention at Glasgow Airport shows.

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“With our national dedicated team of fines enforcement officers, non-payment of a fine or non-engagement is simply not an option.”