A woman who landed a fine for failing to pay for a television licence says it is "disgusting" that she was taken to court. Liza Evans from Cwmbran told WalesOnline she had not watched live TV for years before a licensing inspector reported her.
The 40-year-old appeared at Cwmbran Magistrates' Court last week and pleaded guilty to using a colour TV without a licence. A colour TV licence costs £159 a year, while a black and white one is £53.50. Ms Evans was ordered to pay a £60 fine, £120 in prosecution costs and a £34 victim services surcharge.
The law requires that people who watch or record live TV must pay for a licence. You do not need one if you only watch shows on catch-up, with the exception of BBC iPlayer. Ms Evans insists she had only been using catch-up services — but never iPlayer — and claims she only pleaded guilty because she had been warned of a £600 fine if convicted after a not guilty plea.
