Pensioner racks up £42k in late fees after returning library book 58 years late

21 January 2023 , 11:35

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David Hickman returning the book to Dudley Library (Image: GLL / SWNS)

A pensioner has returned an overdue library book 58 years late, accruing £42,340 in late fees.

In 1964, when David Hickman was just 17 when he borrowed ‘The Law for Motorists’ to study, after being involved in a car accident.

He crashed into a car which was owned by town mayor Councillor W.G.K Griffiths after waving to a group of teenagers from Dudley High School for Girls.

David was arrested and to make matters worse, the mayor was also a magistrate, but luckily he did not sit on his case.

The teenager was convicted of driving without due care and attention, despite David's attempts to use the book to swat up on the law.

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Sharon Whitehouse, manager of Dudley Library (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

Dudley Magistrates fined him £7 – around £175 in today’s money – and ordered him to cough up a further £3 in lawyers’ fees.

After losing the case, David forgot to return the library book and it ended up being put in the back of a drawer.

In 1970 David, a father-of-one, moved from Dudley to Battersea, in south London, and he took the book with him.

David Hickman was just 17 when he borrowed ‘The Law for Motorists’ (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

This week the 76-year-old finally drove back to his hometown to "face the music" and returned the book in person.

With overdue fines of 20p a day, librarians could have charged David £42,340 for the book but they waived the fees after hearing his amusing story.

David, a retired hotelier said: “My car was a 1947 Ford Popular and, in those days, if you had ‘wheels’, you were top of the food-chain when it came to getting the attention of girls.

Staff at Dudley Library were gobsmacked when a customer returned an overdue book 58 years after it should have been back on the shelves (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

"I'd been waving to the girls coming from the school and my car drifted into the middle of the road. I was shocked to see the mayor.

"I borrowed the book to look to see if I had any defence.

“My mother was furious when I went to court. People were more concerned with complying with authority back then.

David Hickman, who was born and raised in Dudley, was just 17 when he borrowed ‘The Law for Motorists’ from the library in 1964 (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

"I even tried to buy the newspaper hoarding that listed the day’s headlines so that she wouldn’t see it.

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“It said, ‘Crash With a Civic Touch’. Later, she came to see the funny side.”

Over the years the book remained almost forgotten at the back of a drawer.

Sharon Whitehouse, manager of Dudley Library (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

The book proved to be of little use (Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

David added: “I used to come across it now and then and think ‘I must pop that back next time I’m in Dudley.

“I even considered posting it anonymously but then I decided I would face the music and take it back in person.

"Fortunately, they saw the funny side."

Dudley librarian Sharon Whitehouse said: “I’m thrilled to have the book returned, complete with its pre-computerisation cardboard tickets, and to hear the story behind it.

“We’re hoping to donate it to The Black Country Museum.”

Adam Dutton