Slow wheels of justice: Offender is paying £17 a month to cover court fines of £18,000 ... which will take 85 years to pay

A South Tyneside offender who owes the courts £18,000 in past fines and costs has found that crime pays – for just £17.70 a month. Jobless Gavin Thomas, 38, of Devonshire Street, Tyne Dock, is paying back that measly amount each month to the authorities to clear his mammoth debt. He has racked-up the sky-high sum largely on Metro rail fare dodging fines but also from appearances before the courts on criminal matters.

Calculations show it will take around 85 years at his current state benefits deductions rate for his account to come into credit - five more than average UK male life expectancy. And his tally has increased by £197 following his latest crime – the admitted offence of drugs’ possession – for which he was again fined.

He admitted to being shocked when told the amount, telling equally stunned borough magistrates: “I didn’t know it was that much. I thought it was about five-hundred quid or something.”

Of his new drugs crime, committed on Sunday, March 3, prosecutor Brian Payne said: “The charge says it all. He was in custody and has been searched. “A small wrap of amphetamine was in his sock, which he accepts. There are no aggravating factors. I request forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and £85 court costs.”

Thomas pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of class B amphetamine. Alastair Naismith, defending, said: “The application from me is a fine.” The clerk to the court confirmed to magistrates that Thomas owes £18,000, which is being reduced monthly at the unemployment benefits rate. For the drugs offence, magistrates fined him £80, with £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge and described his fines account as “a huge amount of money”.