Hereford man jailed after repeatedly refusing to pay council tax
Georgios Papadakis, of Mill Court, has been sentenced to 42 days in prison
A man from Hereford has been jailed for 42 days after repeatedly refusing to pay his council tax.
Georgios Papadakis, of Mill Court, Hereford, was arrested on 21 May 2026 and sentenced to 42 days in prison after a previously suspended sentence was activated at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on 17 April 2026.
The suspended sentence had been imposed after the court determined that Mr Papadakis had wilfully refused to pay council tax, rather than being unable to do so.
Herefordshire Council say the jail term comes after they pursued a range of recovery methods to secure payment over a number of years with the case only brought before the court when all other avenues had failed.
These included annual council tax demands, reminders, summonses, enforcement action and repeated correspondence warning of further legal remedies, including bankruptcy and committal proceedings.
The court initially imposed a 42-day prison sentence which was suspended for 56 days to provide Mr Papadakis with a final opportunity to clear the debt.
When payment was not made, the suspended sentence was activated and subsequently served.
Councillor Pete Stoddart, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, said:
"This outcome represents a proportionate and justified response in very particular circumstances. Committal to prison is a measure of last resort and only follows extensive efforts to recover unpaid council tax through other means.
"The overwhelming majority of Herefordshire residents pay their council tax, which makes an important contribution towards the local services that communities rely on every day. It is only fair that we take appropriate action on their behalf when an individual deliberately chooses not to meet the same obligations.
"We remain committed to supporting residents who are struggling financially and encourage anyone experiencing difficulties to contact us as early as possible. However, where there is a persistent and deliberate refusal to pay despite repeated opportunities to resolve the matter, we will take the necessary action to protect the interests of local taxpayers.
"I welcome the court's decision, which sends a clear message that the council will pursue all appropriate legal remedies in cases of sustained and deliberate non-payment."
Herefordshire Council say this is the first time it has secured a committal to prison in relation to council tax debt and it recognises that some residents face genuine financial hardship.
The authority has said it is committed to helping those struggling with a council tax reduction scheme and other schemes in place to support residents most in need.