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Civil Recovery
2 weeks ago after shopping in ASDA, I was apprehended by two security guards from the store. They wished to see my shopping and my receipts. I of course complied and it appeared that not all of my items were on my receipt.
I was then led to a small room where I was detained for some time before a store manager appeared. There were three items that were not on my receipt and pleading my innocence I requested that they watched the CCTV footage.
The CCTV footage, apparently - I was not allowed to see, showed me swiping one of the three discrepancies in my shopping and there was a mix-up when a shopping assistant removed the tag from the second of my items which I then presumed was scanned, the final item the security guard did not tell me whether the CCTV showed me swiping it or not! I of course offered to pay for the items (a maximum of £12) and questioned why the self-service scanner had not registered my items. They returned that I should have checked my receipt instantly and would have noticed the items were missing! Which seems ridiculous...I was issued with, an apparent, nationwide and lifetime ban from all ASDA stores.
It was really frustrating but when the police appeared, I just complied and was issued with an £80 FNP. I paid this a few days later, believing it was no admission of guilt and also believing, as I'd been told by the police in front of the ASDA staff that this would be the end of the matter.
I have since been contacted by Drydens Lawyers. Claiming £0 for goods stolen or damaged and £150 for security costs. Can they really prosecute me? As they have threatened: court proceedings, bailiffs and deductions from my wages!
This seems incredibly unjust as I have not accepted guilt and merely agreed to the FNP as it seemed like less hassle and money than contesting the issue in court.
On closer inspection of the letter from Drydens, they have misspelt my name and after noticing this I checked the ASDA ban and on that too my name is misspelt.
So is this letter even legally aimed at me? Do I need to inform them of the spelling mistake and be reissued with a "Notice of Intended Civil Recovery"?
The letter gave me seven days to act, as of 09 November 2010... feedback or previous cases would be greatly appreciated!
I was then led to a small room where I was detained for some time before a store manager appeared. There were three items that were not on my receipt and pleading my innocence I requested that they watched the CCTV footage.
The CCTV footage, apparently - I was not allowed to see, showed me swiping one of the three discrepancies in my shopping and there was a mix-up when a shopping assistant removed the tag from the second of my items which I then presumed was scanned, the final item the security guard did not tell me whether the CCTV showed me swiping it or not! I of course offered to pay for the items (a maximum of £12) and questioned why the self-service scanner had not registered my items. They returned that I should have checked my receipt instantly and would have noticed the items were missing! Which seems ridiculous...I was issued with, an apparent, nationwide and lifetime ban from all ASDA stores.
It was really frustrating but when the police appeared, I just complied and was issued with an £80 FNP. I paid this a few days later, believing it was no admission of guilt and also believing, as I'd been told by the police in front of the ASDA staff that this would be the end of the matter.
I have since been contacted by Drydens Lawyers. Claiming £0 for goods stolen or damaged and £150 for security costs. Can they really prosecute me? As they have threatened: court proceedings, bailiffs and deductions from my wages!
This seems incredibly unjust as I have not accepted guilt and merely agreed to the FNP as it seemed like less hassle and money than contesting the issue in court.
On closer inspection of the letter from Drydens, they have misspelt my name and after noticing this I checked the ASDA ban and on that too my name is misspelt.
So is this letter even legally aimed at me? Do I need to inform them of the spelling mistake and be reissued with a "Notice of Intended Civil Recovery"?
The letter gave me seven days to act, as of 09 November 2010... feedback or previous cases would be greatly appreciated!
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