Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) are designed to offer an alternative option for the police to deal with low-level, anti-social and nuisance offending. The scheme provides a non-bureaucratic way to deal quickly with offenders without excessive paperwork and court time.
The penalties are set at two levels:
Upper Tier offences at £80.00
Tier offences at £50.00
Offenders who accept and pay the PND within the time limit allowed do not acquire a criminal record.
Why is a person given a PND?
A PND is given to a person at the discretion of the issuing officer. The officer has to have reason to believe that the person has committed an offence for which a PND is suitable, the offender is an appropriate person and that they have no history of similar offences.
How long have I got to pay my PND?
You have 21 days to pay your PND, starting from the date of issue. The date of issue can be found on the ticket.
What happens if I do not pay the penalty on time?
If you fail to pay the full amount of your PND within 21 days of the date of issue, the fine will increase by 50% and you may be charges with the offence for which the notice had been issued. If you don’t pay the PND at all, it will be registered as a fine, in which case you may have to pay additional bailiffs fees or you may be arrested. If you are charged and convicted you will receive a criminal record and may have to pay court costs in addition to any fine imposed, or you may be given a custodial sentence.
If you believe you should not have been given a PND, you have the right to request a Court hearing within 21 days of the date of issue.
Will the PND give me a criminal record?
A PND is not a conviction therefore it will not result in a criminal record. A record of the notice will be kept for administration purposes. This information may be used to help decide whether or not to issue you with another PND in relation to any subsequent offences for which such notices may be issued.
However, please note that if you fail to pay the PND or request a hearing, legal action taken against you can result in a criminal record.
Who has authority to give me a PND?
All police officers can issue you with a PND if they have reason to believe you have committed and offence. Police community support officers and accredited officers also have powers to issue PND’s.
You have the right to ask the issuing officer for identification. The officer who issues the ticket will write their name and warrant number in Part 1 of your PND.
Once issued with a PND, can the officer ask me to attend a police station?
Police officer’s have the right to request that you attend a police station for fingerprints, DNA samples and photograph’s. They may also request that you attend a police station to be issued with the PND.
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