because of computer delays at Magistrates' Court.

The official debt collectors are working three months behind schedule because computer operators are still inputting court details from last October.

The Royal Gazette learned of the delays after a tip-off from a leading Bermudian lawyer.

She said a client was unable to order a debt to be collected because of the computer backlog.

People who have not paid civil debts ordered by the courts are issued with a judgment summons.

They can then be brought before a Magistrate to explain why they have not paid and be held in contempt of court if they have no valid excuse.

But bailiffs' apprehension warrants are issued as a last resort if civil bills remain unpaid -- and anyone who owes money can then be arrested.

The lawyer added: "We have not been able to enforce the payment of a debt because the data inputting at Magistrates' Court has been behind since last October.

"In processing the warrants, the procedure is that the information has to be put into computer first.

"But they are only up to inputting the information for October of last year and they are playing catch-up.

"Anything sent to the bailiff's department now will not receive attention because they are at least three months behind.'' Senior Magistrate Will Francis admitted there had been computer delays but he said the matter was "under control''.

He added: "There's a huge backlog. But there's a delay with anything when you have to computerise it first.

"We have had a delay with chasing up parking tickets recently, too.

"But things will be sped up and there is plenty of work for the bailiffs to do. It's under control.

"People must remember that we have a very busy department and there are an awful lot of things to attend to.

"Data-inputting is often a tedious and sometimes difficult process. And even once the computer information is stored, there could be any number of reasons why someone is not brought to justice for non-payment.

"The Police and the bailiffs have to chase these people and they can make it pretty difficult. They jump out of windows and over fences and everything.'' Senior Bailiff Sheldon Fox would not comment on the computer backlogs.

But magistrates had to dismiss cases against a stack of defendants who had not paid parking tickets at the end of last year because of similar hold-ups.

The installation of a new court computer system meant a delay in issuing summonses to parking offenders.

Parking cases have to be dealt with inside a certain time frame and the deadline for punishing non-payers had passed.

Warrants for non-payment of criminal fines or non-appearance in court are issued by Police.