A 53-year-old woman has been convicted by a secret court for failing to pay her car tax while she was being treated for cancer.
The woman, from Newmarket in Suffolk, was prosecuted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) using a secretive, fast-tracked Single Justice Procedure (SJP) hearing, the London Evening Standard reported.
The car tax on her Vauxhall expired just after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, according to court documents.
In a letter of mitigation to the court she wrote: “I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in June 2024.
“This was followed by surgery to remove my breast and lymph nodes, followed by six months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
“During my cancer treatment, I forgot to tax my car and I am very sorry for this.”
The case was not withdrawn and proceeded to the magistrate. The Standard reported that there is no legal requirement for prosecutors to check a mitigation letter.
The woman made two payments of £80, in February and May, and pleaded guilty to the charge of keeping an unlicensed vehicle.
A magistrate in Northumberland over 270 miles from Newmarket – later spared the woman the fine, although the conviction remains and she had to pay £47.50 compensation.
In November, The Telegraph reported the DVLA, which brings about 180,000 SJP prosecutions a year, was among the companies accused of unnecessarily pursuing cases against vulnerable, disabled and elderly people.
In recent years, cases have included a 78-year-old with dementia who was fined for not having car insurance when she was in a care home.
In another case, a 33-year-old was handed a £781 legal bill after accidentally failing to pay £4 to the DVLA.