Heacham's rebel Richard plays 'get out of jail' card
COUNCIL tax rebel, pensioner Richard Fitzmaurice, has vowed to call an end to his porridge days after his family secured his early release from a second jail sentence for non-payment.
Mr Fitzmaurice (76) returned to his Heacham home on Thursday night after serving three days of a 34-day sentence, imposed when he refused to pay his council tax in protest over rising costs for pensioners on fixed incomes.
Once again, his family stepped in to pay the bill to get their dad out from behind bars, mirroring what happened in November 2006.
Mr Fitzmaurice, of Ringstead Road, said: "Out of respect to my wife and family I won't do it again. I just hope someone else will."
The ex-soldier caught the attention of the country's media through his readiness to go to jail rather than pay his bill. He had requested community service but was told the law only allowed for a prison term.
He was stripped of his "potentially dangerous" veterans badge, tie and belt as he was led into a cell in the court building following his appearance on Monday last week.
The great-granddad was later handcuffed and led to a prison van where three cat-calling women lags were already inside, one screeching that she needed the toilet and another that she was going to be sick.
He said: "I told the magistrates I don't expect to be clamped in handcuffs, it's undignified and unnecessary but they said it was out of their hands.
"I was treated OK. I can't complain."
Mr Fitzmaurice spent Monday night alone in a cell at Peterborough's Bridge Street Police Station. He laid his suit jacket on a clean blanket on the floor and slept fully clothed on the only furniture – a hard bench.
The next day he was taken to Bedford prison where he was locked up with a 31-year-old Indian man who had been picked up for possession of a knife.
Mr Fitzmaurice said: "He was a bit of a villain, but quite clean and tidy. He had hurt his back so I said you have the bottom bunk I can easily clamber on to the top.
"He was quite affable apart from his music, he had borrowed a little digital radio and he was into some pop stuff."
Most of the next two days were spent locked in the cell, and he was allowed out only to collect an evening meal from a servery and for a couple of hours' recreation on Tuesday evening.
Mr Fitzmaurice said the worst part of the experience was the boredom and ropey food but he took positives in meeting the tattooed inmates and getting an insight into the prison system.
On Wednesday he managed to get a message to his son Chris (54), of Thornham, to say he had achieved what he needed to in highlighting pensioners' plight and the 1,359 outstanding bill and 209 costs were paid.
Mr Fitzmaurice's wife Rita (77) said: "I was so pleased to see him, I had to tell him how proud I felt, though I could have smacked him at the same time.
"He's got high blood pressure and is not a wholly fit man but he is just so determined and so bloody minded. I haven't seen all the papers. We only get the Telegraph and there has been very little in there, but I think it has made the politicians feel embarrassed.That is what we hope anyway."
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Weather for Kings Lynn
Monday 06 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
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Wind direction: South east
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