OFFENDERS who fail to pay fines imposed by the courts are being targeted in a major crackdown which will see them pursued "relentlessly".

Those who have ignored court penalties are being warned they face arrest unless they come forward immediately.

In North Yorkshire, about £3.3m in financial penalties are outstanding. of which nearly half - about £1.5m - is in arrears.

Under the slogan, Think You'll Get Away With It? Think Again, posters and leaflets are being distributed across the county to claw back the cash.

Those who fail to heed the call are being warned the money could be deducted from their wages or benefits, and they could even end up in jail.

Paul Bradley, area director for the courts in North Yorkshire, said: "Despite major progress being made, many people still don't pay their fines.

"They are the people we will pursue relentlessly during this blitz.

"All magistrates' court staff in North Yorkshire are gearing up to make this a success."

He added: "Court staff now have access to valuable information on the police national computer and the customer information service at the Department for Work and Pensions. Access to existing databases means it will be much easier to find offenders who are hiding - so I urge people who have disobeyed the court to come forward before we knock on your door."

The North Yorkshire initiative is part of the nationally- co-ordinated Operation Payback 3 and follows two previous crackdowns last year.

Last year's blitzes had other spin-offs when enforcement officers and police picked up several other offenders, even though they were not being targeted, because they had moved into houses where defaulters used to live.

The head of North Yorkshire Police's administration of justice department, Superintendent Colin Taylor, said both previous efforts in the county had proved very successful.

"We will not tolerate court orders being ignored and court fines not being paid," he said.