Court bailiffs could soon have the right to knock down doors in a bid to recover a £2.6m backlog owed by Oxfordshire's fine dodgers.

They are to be given powers to force their way into criminals' homes -- by breaking doors down if necessary -- to collect unpaid fines or compensation for victims.

Bailiffs will also be allowed to search offenders for dangerous weapons.

However, Drakes Group, which collects fines on behalf of magistrates courts in Oxfordshire, emphasised doors would only be forced open as a last resort.

Colin Clifford, chief executive of Thames Valley Magistrates Court Service, said: "We welcome the proposed extended powers as an extra weapon in our armoury to recover money from fine defaulters." The new measures have been included in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill going through Parliament. It is anticipated they will become law before the end of the year.

The powers would not be used against people fined for minor misdemeanours.

There is almost £11m in unpaid fines across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire -- some of which date back a decade.

There are between 9,000 and 10,000 fine defaulters in Oxfordshire.

In the year to April 1, one in three people got away without paying fines in Thames Valley.

The courts service says one of its top priorities is recovering unpaid compensation for victims.

Mark Cowley, head of national enforcement operations for Drakes Group, said: "We will be careful as to how we use these new powers. This will be a last resort."

Joanna Fenstermacher, Victim Support Oxfordshire manager, said victims deserved to be compensated quickly, and were frustrated when they received instalments of just a few pounds per week -- prolonging links to their attackers. But she said she could not comment on how they would feel about the new bailiffs' powers.

Courts Minister Christopher Leslie said: "We should no longer tolerate those found guilty of criminal offences escaping justice."