COURTS in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have improved court fine collections following the scandal of non-payment.

In the 12 months to March 2004, 79 per cent of financial penalties handed down by magistrates were collected.

In the previous year, the collection rate in West Mercia had been only 71 per cent.

The new figures, published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs, show the region has hit the Government's target for fine collection.

A goal of 75 per cent had been set in a bid to cut the number of offenders escaping justice by not paying.

Two years ago, a damning report by the Commons public accounts committee warned that the payment of fines was "almost voluntary" in many areas.

Since then, magistrates courts have been given a range of new powers to catch up with defaulters, including the power to deduct fines from wages or benefits.

Fines are no longer written off after 12 months and offenders who fail to provide details of income and expenditure are guilty of a fresh offence.

Under last year's Court Act, penalties can also be increased if offenders fail to pay on time, while those who pay earlier can get reductions.

But offenders who are genuinely unable to pay the fine can be made to do unpaid work in the community as an alternative punishment.

The average proportion of fines collected across England and Wales in 2003/4 was 74 per cent, rising to 76 per cent in the first three months of this year.

West Mercia's 79 per cent figure is the total of fines collected during a 12-month period as a percentage of the total value of those imposed.

Some of the money collected last year could have been handed down as a fine in previous years.