A CRIME victim paid just £6.13 of the £250 compensation he is owed has been asked to write off the outstanding amount – because the thief who stole his bike three years ago is in prison for another offence.

To add insult to injury, the letter to Lee Patrun from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) did not have a stamp on, and cost him £2.30 of his £6.13 payment to collect from the Post Office.

Mr Patrun, from Darlington, said he could not believe his eyes when he read the letter and has written to court officials to say he will not agree to let the criminal escape paying his dues.

His Raleigh mountain bike was stolen from his workplace in 2010 and, after the burglar was caught and imprisoned, he was told he would receive £250 to replace it by Darlington magistrates.

This week, three years on from the compensation order, Mr Patrun was sent a cheque for £6.13 and a letter from HMCTS asking for his views on whether the compensation should be written off, as the burglar is now in prison again for a further offence.

He described the letter as ‘shocking’ and said he had sent a strongly-worded reply making his feelings about the request clear.

A spokeswoman for HMCTS said any compensation could not be written off without the agreement of the victim.

Mr Patrun, a monumental stonemason who works for Bambridge Brothers, in Northgate, Darlington, said a problem with his sight meant he is unable to drive and needed his bike to get around.

Mr Patrun said: “It was just a run-of-the-mill bike but I relied on it. It was my only means of transport and I had to walk everywhere for months until I could afford to replace it.

“I couldn’t believe it when the letter arrived asking me to write off the compensation. He had no regard for me when he broke through two locks and took my bike, why should I have any regard for him?

“It’s shocking that they even ask. I don’t care if I’m an old man and I only get another cheque for £6.13. As long as it’s held over his head then I’m happy.”

The burglar was arrested after committing a separate offence and admitted to police in interview that he had also taken Mr Patrun’s bike.

As the thief was on benefits, the fines and claims for compensation imposed at Darlington Magistrates Court were paid off at a rate of £5 per week, which means it has taken three years for the £6.13 to be collected on Mr Patrun’s behalf.

An HMCTS spokeswoman said: “Offenders who fail to pay victims' compensation are pursued vigorously by HMCTS who use all means at their disposal to trace those who do not pay.

“Money can be taken from an offender's earnings or from benefits if they are unemployed.

"A compensation order cannot be written off without the agreement of the person to whom the money is owed."