Sponsored by
Warning as council tax dodger is jailed
A self-employed taxi driver has become the first person in Portsmouth to be jailed after dodging his council tax for more than three years.
Clifford Holman owed 3,816.53 in missed payments at two former addresses from January 5, 2002, to November 24, 2005.
He was found guilty by a Portsmouth magistrate yesterday, was jailed for 42 days and ordered to pay 4,208.54 including costs.
The 42-year-old was also sentenced to a further seven days' imprisonment for failing to pay fines of around 450.
Mr Holman lives in Priory Road, Eastney, with his family, who refused to comment on the matter.
Portsmouth City Council has praised the verdict, and bosses hope it sends a clear warning to tax dodgers, who cost the city 4m a year in uncollected council tax.
Roger Ching, the city's director for corporate resources, said: 'As far as we are aware, this man may be the first person in Portsmouth to be jailed since the former poll tax days for failing to pay his council tax.
'We believe this sends out a strong message to others who are refusing to pay their tax.'
Portsmouth council is ranked second, behind Reading, in the south east for successfully collecting the property charge.
Although 738m of council tax went uncollected last year nationwide, only 4.1m of that was from Portsmouth.
Mr Ching added the council was making 'determined efforts' to reduce the amount of uncollected tax each year.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -4 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
