Man refused to pay council tax because his name was written in capital letters

A 54-year-old man refused to pay his council because his name was capitalised in a letter from the council a court heard.
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Adrian May, of Princess Street, Mansfield, refused to pay his council tax for three years as a matter of principle over the way his name had been written on letters from the council.

Mr May appeared in custody at Mansfield Magistrates Court today (Wednesday February 13).

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District Judge Jonathan Taaffe heard Mr May had not offered any payment of council tax since April 2015.

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He had asked the council to change his name on a form and had not been pleased with the way it had been written.

A representative of the authority said “We have written to Mr May on a number of occasions and obtained liability orders in 2016 and 2017.

Mr May has not offered any payment - he has asked us to change his name, which we did in the hope he could correspond with us. He has but has not made any payment yet.

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I don’t think he has ever paid council tax because prior to this he was claiming housing council tax benefits.

Mr Taylor, defending said: “I have spent quite some time going through correspondence between Mr May and the council.

“It has been a point of principle. He likes things to be correct. Following his change of name the council did contact him with his new name . But he said letters sent to him had his name written in capitals which he takes as meaning someone who has passed away - as names written on a grave. I showed hi letters I have on file and his name is not in capitals it is in lower case.”

“He is now prepared to pay.”

Judge Taffe said: “I acknowledge that you have principles.

“However as member of society it is necessary that our taxes and council tax are paid, whatever you may believe in relation to that.

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“You partake in services you use the roads and pavements. You drive on roads and councils have to maintain them.

“You have made absolutely no effort to pay attempt to pay this since 2015.”

Mr May was sentenced to prison for 56 days, suspended upon payment of £2,573.78, and costs of £305 within 28 days.