Appealing

You can appeal against the verdict, or just against the level of the fine or both. If you want to appeal you have to lodge your appeal papers with the clerk within seven days so don't waste time! You can get the appeal form from our website.

Fines for a first offence for this sort of Breach of the Peace are usually in the £150-£250 range. If you get more than that it might well be worth appealing against the sentence. Appeals against conviction are unlikely to succeed - the most recent High Court judgment was from a court with 5 judges instead of the normal 3 so they won't go back on it. If you find a new angle then it might be worth appealing but think carefully about whether yours is the best case to take it on - a judgment on appeal then applies to all future cases.

You can always lodge the appeal as the first step is that the JP/Sheriff has to write an account of what happened at the trial and why they convicted you. You can then drop the appeal without any judgments.