CRIMINALS on Teesside who ignored paying their fines have had a rude awakening.

In a week-long blitz, 375 people were arrested by court enforcement officers during early morning raids.

Nine hundred warrants were executed by the team, with help from officers of Cleveland Police's Operation Sabre units.

The raids, carried out under the Operation Payback banner, were part of a campaign launched by magistrates' courts to claw back unpaid fines.

David Hughes, officer manager at Teesside Magistrates' Court, said: "Too many people mistakenly think that if they ignore court punishments long enough, nothing will be done. These latest individuals have discovered that the law will always catch up with them.

"The blitz has been a huge success. We have collected more than £18,000 in unpaid fines, with the promise of much more to come in the next few weeks."

The Payback 3 operation resulted in a large number of people being brought before fines courts at Hartlepool, Teesside and Guisborough.

Fine dodgers who appeared before the magistrates received a range of sentences, including imprisonment.

Court enforcement officer Charlie Featherstone said: "Each time the operation gets slicker and more effective as the police and enforcement officers get even better at tracking down defaulters.

"In the last week, 43 defendants have been given custodial sentences. The clear message is that defaulters will continue to be pursued until their debts are paid."

Chief Inspector Gary Stephenson said: "People who ignore the courts risk receiving an early-morning knock on the door sometime soon.

"As the courts have clearly demonstrated, they could find themselves spending their next night in a prison cell without any advance warning.

"It is, therefore, in their best interests to settle their accounts immediately."