Television licences and the law

Sir, – Recent convictions for nonpayment of TV licences (News, May 11th) highlight the extraordinary situation where non-payment of a €160 television licence can result in a criminal record.

Compare that offence with tax defaulters who might have evaded a million euro or more in tax yet they receive no criminal record, or contrast it with the recent case of a man who knocked a garda to the floor of a courtroom and also managed to avoid a criminal record.

It is no wonder the issue of TV licences is mired in controversy. – Yours, etc,

PAVEL MARIANSKI,