A SERIES of motorists in Dumbarton saw their vehicles clamped during a crackdown after falling foul of the law.

The five offenders were forced to stump up hundreds of pounds in cash to retrieve their vehicles- when they didn't pay fines imposed at Dumbarton Sheriff Court and the JP Court.

They are part of a series of 29 fine dodgers from across Scotland who saw their vehicles clamped.

According to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, in Dunbartonshire, a total of six drivers had their vehicles clamped for fines totalling £741 all imposed at Dumbarton Sheriff and JP Court for a variety of road traffic offences.

Five cars were immobilised in the town of Dumbarton alone, with another outside the area but still within the Dunbartonshire jurisdiction.

In one case the driver of a Ford Transit van had to stump up £261 to get his van back after his business was affected.

And in another case a Suzuki SX4 driver was forced to shell out £151 after they were convicted for driving without insurance.

Vehicles clamped ranged from commercial vehicles to top line Audis and Mercedes and as well as settling their fines, owners had to stump up an extra £68 to have clamps removed.

In all cases, the offenders had opportunities to pay their fines off at a reasonable and affordable instalment rate – but did not do so.

Clamping is one of a number of measures the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) can use to recover unpaid fines and a new electronic interface between the SCTS and the DVLA vehicle database has enhanced the ability to track down defaulters.

SCTS operations officer David Fraser said: “Clamping is a very effective way to make fines defaulters pay up. The fines enforcement team is highly effective in securing unpaid fines and can agree reasonable and affordable instalment arrangements for those having genuine difficulties maintaining their payments. However, those who continually refuse to pay can’t hide and will face strong measures if they don’t engage with our officers.”

Most fines can be paid round the clock on a secure website at www.scotcourts.gov.uk/payyourfine or using the automated telephone payment system by phoning 0300 790 0003.

Only fines which involve the endorsement of a driving record cannot be paid electronically at the moment.

For those penalties that cannot be paid using the online or telephone payment systems, customers can post payments to Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Central Processing Unit, PO Box 23, Glasgow, G59 9DA or take it in person to any Scottish court fines office.

Enforcement teams targeted persistent non-payers during March in a number of areas including Glasgow, the Lothians, Dunbartonshire and Lanarkshire to recover cash owed from fines.