Woman who dodged £13K council tax paid just £170 in 16 years
A GRIMSBY woman who failed to pay nearly £13,000 in Council Tax, over a period of 16 years, has claimed the local authority should have done more to help her.
Jacqueline Taylor of Bramble Close, Grimsby, admitted failing to pay £12,675.28 – the highest amount ever owed in the borough.
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Taylor has now been ordered to pay back £7,847.98 of the debt at £50 per week after being found guilty of culpable neglect – which means it has been ruled that she had sufficient cash to pay the bill, but spent it on other things.
She was also given a suspended custodial sentence of 90 days.
Grimsby Magistrates heard the debt dated back to 1994, when Council Tax was brought in to replace the hugely unpopular Poll Tax and that Taylor had faced "genuine financial difficulties".
However, a spokesman for North East Lincolnshire Council said it had done "everything in its power" to help her get back on track – sending "a minimum" of 85 letters to her and arranging at least 34 visits from bailiffs to her home and workplace.
See today's Grimsby Telegraph for further details.
56 Comments
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by porcelainblak
Wednesday, January 25 2012, 6:58PM
“Josephine:
Don't you ever think what would happen if ALL of us dodged paying our council tax for 16 years before you spout your namby pamby do-gooder drivel?
This woman has stolen from every single one of us, don't you get it at all? She has stolen from YOU - surely that bothers you a tiny little bit? Why don't you invite her to live with you at your house then you can spend your time patting her on the head and telling her how hard done to she is, and whilst you're at it you can pay the theiving so and so's council tax at the same time.
What's that I hear you say - not flaming likely?”
by Geoff_Crayon2
Wednesday, January 25 2012, 4:10PM
“Turpin!
Re; http://tinyurl.com/8887we7
You're not kidding.”
by nogoarea45
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 3:23PM
“How to boost our pension!!
1 From now on we pay no council tax
2. In 16 years time (When we are 81 and 82) we will pay half of our debt back at £50 a week
3. In the meantime we will enjoy all the benefits of NOT paying council tax - holidays, etc.
4. We will love the incompetence that allows us to do this while proper tax payers suffer
Brilliant idea Jaqueline!! Should have spread the word sooner”
by R_Turpin
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 2:37PM
“I don't know but somebody obviously didn't have confidence in the council's prosecution by the look of this.
http://tinyurl.com/8887we7”
by C_orse
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 2:31PM
“Does anyone know what the outcome to this case was?”