28/09/2005

Council tax pensioner released early

The ‘council tax rebel’ pensioner who received a seven-day jail sentence for refusing to pay her council tax arrears has been released from prison early.

Sylvia Hardy, 73, was jailed on Monday, but was released on Tuesday afternoon, after a mysterious benefactor, calling himself Mr Brown, paid her outstanding bill of £53.71.

Miss Hardy, from Exeter, Devon, has spoken of her disappointment at not having served her full sentence. She told BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme that she was not sure whether ‘Mr Brown’ was a well-meaning supporter of her campaign or someone who wished to disrupt her protest.

Miss Hardy became the first female pensioner to be jailed for refusing to pay her council tax this week. She refused to pay part of the tax, which she described as “daylight robbery” because she said it had increased at a higher rate than her pension.

She told reporters on Wednesday that she did not plan to pay her full council tax bill this year was prepared to go to prison again

(KMcA/SP)

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