More people in the capital avoiding court over the television licence
Around 30 per cent of Dublin defendants facing TV licence prosecutions failed to turn up in court today, and were convicted and fined in their absence.
Dublin District Court's special list for dealing with people who fail to pay the annual 160 euro licence fee was split into three sessions, with 136 defendants.
They had been summonsed after licence inspectors called to their homes in Dublin 12, 16, 22, and Dun Laoghaire in September last year.
Judge Halpin, who criticised RTE earlier this month, warned today that a defendant who is fined, must still get a licence under the Broadcasting Act, and "that is the law".
