Council tax rebel home for weekend
JAILED council tax rebel Richard Fitzmaurice could be home for the weekend after his family paid his council tax bill.
They were flooded with offers of financial help to enable the 76-year-old veteran to be released early from Bedford jail – but the issue was never one of money they said.
It was the second time that Mr Fitzmaurice received a custodial sentence for non-payment as a protest against the plight of pensioners who rely on a fixed income while the bills escalate each year.
His concerned family decided to pay the 1,568 after receiving a message from him in Bedford Prison on Wednesday night – his third behind bars of a 34-day sentence imposed on the former soldier by magistrates on Monday.
During the hearing he told the bench he was making a stand against the tax on behalf of poorer old folk on inadequate pensions suffering hardship due to increasing bills.
He also objected to West Norfolk councillors voting themselves a 35 per cent increase in allowances last year instead of the 23 per cent recommended by an independent panel.
It was the second time Mr Fitzmaurice has been to jail for his beliefs. He made a similar protest in 2006.
After being taken from court on Monday in handcuffs, Mr Fitzmaurice was held overnight in Peterborough Prison.
On Tuesday, he was transported to Bedford Prison and his wife, Rita, was telephoned by the prison service to let her know where he was being held. On Wednesday night, the prison contacted the family because Mr Fitzmaurice could not yet speak to them directly.
They passed on a message from him indicating that he did not want to be in prison for any great length of time.
Yesterday morning, Mr Fitzmaurice's son, Chris, wasted no time in driving to West Norfolk Council's offices to pay the outstanding amount and set his father's release in motion.
Mr Fitzmaurice's relieved daughter, Sally, said he had received many offers from charities and individuals willing to settle the bill for him but his protest had not been prompted by his inability to pay.
Commenting on seeing her father taken from court in handcuffs, she said: "It's not nice or necessary but, having had the same experience before, I'm sure he knew what to expect."
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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