A homeowner said they did not think they had to pay their TV licence fee because they claimed their pet was related to one of the Queen's dogs.
英国一家房主说他们觉得自己不该交电视牌照费，因为他们家的宠物和女王的一只狗有关系。

Other excuses given to officials by evaders last year included watching a stolen TV set, TV Licensing said.
英国电视牌照局还说，去年有人为了不交电视费编造出各种借口，包括“我们看的电视机是偷来的。”

More than 400,000 people were caught watching TV without a licence in 2012.
2012年，有40多万英国人看电视不交牌照费。

UK residents are legally required to have a licence if they watch or record TV at the same time as it is broadcast or could face a fine of up to £1,000.
按照英国法律，居民观看电视节目或在节目播出时录像都要缴纳电视牌照费，否则将面临高达1000英镑的罚款。

A colour TV licence costs £145.50 while a black-and-white licence costs £49. In January, TV Licensing revealed that more than 13,000 households across the UK were still using black-and-white television sets.
每台彩色电视需缴纳牌照费145.50英镑，黑白电视49英镑。一月份，英国电视牌照局发布公告，全英国还有超过1.3万家电视用户仍然使用黑白电视机。

Excuses for non-payment given last year included:
去年不付电视费的借口千奇百怪：

"Apparently my dog, which is a corgi, was related to the Queen's dog so I didn't think I needed a TV licence."
“我的狗狗是柯基犬，很明显跟女王的宠物狗是亲戚呀，所以我认为我不需要交电视费。”

"Why would I need a TV licence for a TV I stole? Nobody knows I've got it."
“我的电视机是偷来的，为啥还要交电视费？没人知道我有电视。”

"Only my three-year-old son watches the TV. Can you take it out of the family allowance I receive for him? He watches it so he should pay."
“我家只有三岁的儿子看电视。你能直接从政府给我的家庭津贴里扣吗？他看电视所以应该他付钱。”

"I had not paid as I received a lethal injection."
“我已经被执行注射死刑了，所以才没交电视费。”

"I don't want to pay for a licence for a full year. Knowing my luck I'll be dead in six months and won't get value for money."
“我不想交全年的电视费。再有六个月我就死了，所以电视费交了也是白交。”

"I have lost weight recently and had to buy new clothes. That's why I could not afford to buy a TV licence."
“我最近变瘦了，得去买新衣服。所以我没钱交电视费。”

"I could not pay for my TV licence because the Olympic torch was coming down my road and I could not get to the shop as the road was too busy."
“我去年没付电视费，是因为当时奥运火炬传到了我家附近的马路上，路上人太多我去不了商店啊。”

"I don't watch the television; I just use it as a light in the dark."
“我不看电视，就拿它当灯而已。”

"My house was invaded by a squirrel which weed on my TV, so now it doesn't work properly."
“我家被松鼠入侵了，它在我的电视台做了窝，所以现在电视不好用。”

TV Licensing spokesman Stephen Farmer said: "Some of the excuses are simply hilarious whilst others show a great deal of imagination and creativity but being caught without a valid TV licence is a criminal offence and no laughing matter.
英国电视牌照局发言人史蒂芬-法门说：“有些借口就是简单搞笑，有些则显示出惊人的想象力和创造力。但要是发现你没有有效的电视牌照，那就是违法犯罪问题了，这可一点儿也不好笑。”

"Joking and wacky excuses apart, it's breaking the law to watch live television without a licence so anybody doing this risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000."
“先不说这些古怪恶搞的借口，在没有牌照的情况下看电视就是违法行为，这些人面临着被检举并交纳1000英镑的罚款的风险。”