A retired vicar was hauled back into Towcester court yesterday for non-payment of council tax increases.

In June, magistrates sentenced Mr Ridley to 28 days in prison, suspended for 28 days to allow him to pay the outstanding debt. The retired clergyman and his wife say they are both ready to go to jail over the principle of "appalling" wastage that had raised their council tax by 8.5% in just one year.

The couple had fallen behind with their council tax after restricting their monthly payments to last year's tax, increased in line with inflation and now owe nearly £600 plus court costs.

Mr Ridley, with his wife Una standing beside him in the dock, told the court he was a protester against the council tax system, which took no account of pensioners’ ability to pay.

Yesterday, Towcester magistrates issued a liability order, which means that the couple will have to go back to court again if they do not pay up.

In August, another pensioner council tax rebel, Sylvia Hardy from Exeter was given a seven day suspended sentence after missing a 56-day payment deadline and is due back into court later this month. Ms Hardy is also protesting and wants to go to jail. Her attempts to refuse payment and go to jail previously were scuppered when an anonymous payment arrived at the council.

Further news:

Mr Ridley was later sent direct to a category A jail after refusing to co-operate with the libility order. Mrs Ridley later attacked the choice of prison as "extreme" and vowed to continue the campaign against the "unjust" tax.