reply to post by ChristianJihad
Treaspass is a civil offence, not a criminal one, and is therefore, non-arrestable.
If you detained a TVL Inspector for trespass by making a "citizens arrest", you would be guilty of false inprisonment, since its not arrestable. The
most you can leagally do is instruct them to vacate your property immediately, and by the shortest route. If they refuse then all you can do is call
the police, and have them physically removed.
Not even the police can arrest for trespass, only escort the trespasser to public land.
This is why a "little knowlege" is more dangerous than "no knowlege" sometimes.
Also to clarify some other points.
Any person or company selling a TV reciever
or recorder, have to inform TVL of the sale. this is a legal requirement. That means they even
have to report the sale of dvd-recorders, PVR's etc. Sadly Tesco and other companies automatically report the sale of any visual equipment, just to
cover their legal arses, even when they are not required to (eg, dvd players).
TVL have sub contracted their enforcement and collections to a private company called Capita, who operate on a commission basis, and that makes them
very pushy. That is, they get paid for each person they catch, and paid even more if they persuade that caught person to buy a TV Licence (even if one
isn't required).
Capita acting as a representative of TVL, CAN and HAVE apply for legal search warrants if you try and take the revocation of implied access route, it
doesn't often happen, but it is something to be aware of. Once they have a search warrant, they are coming in, like it or not, and nothing you can do
will stop them.
A lot of Magistrates misunderstand TV Licencing laws, and fine people who didn't need a licence, for not having one. Anyone in such a case has had
the fine overturned by Crown Court, but not everyone appeals.