Woman jailed for not paying Havant council tax

Karen Elstob, 53, of Botley Drive, Havant, owes the borough council more than £4,000, the authority said.

In January 2013 she was found guilty of culpable neglect over debts of £3,600 for non-payment between 2001 and 2007.

At Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court she was handed a 28-day suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay £50 a month to clear the debt.

But she was hauled before the court on an arrest warrant on Monday over £1,585.91 of non-payments between 2011 and 2014.

Magistrates jailed her for 28 days and found she had not effectively communicated with the borough council.

Councillor Michael Wilson, cabinet lead for governance and organisational development, said: ‘I am very pleased with this result and the hard work our Revenues and Benefits Team do to prosecute those who break the law.’

The council said 81 people have suspended sentences over non-payment of tax.