Is cheque bounce a civil or criminal offence in the UK?

Question

When people write cheque for credit or advance payment and their cheque bounce--Just wondering about this since my country had recently changed it from civil to criminal.

Answer 1

Issuing a cheque which is dishonoured on presentation is not  necessarily a criminal offence unless it constitutes obtaining property by deception i.e you persuaded someone to part with goods knowing as you di d that that  the cheque was a dud.By the way there is no such thing as a "civil" offence In civil law you either have a liability to pay damages or you don't.In civil law if you issue a dud cheque and it is not honoured you still owe the value of the cheque and/or are obliged to return the goods but you do not pay extra damages because of the worth less cheque.

Answer 2

Using a cheque that you know is going to bounce, is a very serious criminal offence - deception. It is still fraud, which the judicial system regards very seriously in Britain.

Answer 3

It is a criminal offence, and has been for a considerable time, to write out a cheque in payment of a debt, knowing at the time that you wrote out the cheque, or should have known, that it will bounce. It is not a route that a creditor would normally initiate, because it doesn't get him his money back.

Answer 4

It is criminal if deliberate attempt to defraud is proved, otherwise it is a civil matter.

Answer 5

It is a Criminal Offence, Obtaining goods or benefits by pecunary advantage. I other words...Fraud.

Answer 6

If a cheque bounces, it's neither a criminal or civil offence.

However, if, as a result of the cheque bouncing, you still owe someone money, then that is a civil matter