Two Hamilton traffic light window washers had more than $40,000 worth of fines scrapped in Hamilton District Court yesterday.
Waikato Collections had summonsed Tasman Hadfield and Raymond Clark before Judge Denise Clark because they were incurring fines faster than they were paying them off.
Waikato Collections manager Noel Smith said the pairwere "thumbing their noses at the law" and by bringing them before the court, harsher penalties could be imposed.
The men were both sentenced to community work, which will effectively see them clearing their debt on an hourly rate of more than $60.
The court heard that Hadfield owed $31,877 in fines which he had incurred by committing 106 offences -- mainly for washing car windows at intersections -- over a two-and-a-half year period.
Clark's debt was $31,050, gained by committing 102 offences over nearly seven years.
Collections prosecutor Ian Bardsley said both men earned more than $400 a week by claiming a benefit and washing car windows but paid little towards their fines. Hadfield paid $30 a week and Clark $45. Both men have had fines remitted before.
In September 2001, Hadfield had $11,893 worth of fines exchanged for 10 months' periodic detention. The court heard that within three weeks, Hadfield was reoffending.
Clark had a total of $2825 remitted off his fines on two separate occasions in 1994 and 1997 and still had 80 hours' community work outstanding from the exchange.
Judge Clark remitted $24,077 worth of Hadfield's fines and sentenced him to 350 hours' community work. That left a debt of $7800 which she said Hadfield could pay off within the five-year statutory time frame, at his current rate, if he didn't reoffend.
Judge Clark remitted $19,250 of Clark's fines and sentenced him to 320 hours' community work. The remaining debt of $11,700 was to be paid at no less than $45 a week.
Based on a 40-hour week, Hadfield will pay his debt by working almost nine weeks at an hourly rate of $68.79. Clark will work eight weeks at $60.15 an hour.
Mr Smith wouldn't comment on the hourly rate. He said the most important thing was "changing their behaviour".
