A 79-year-old man has vowed to go all the way to the Supreme Court after being hauled before magistrates for an unpaid council tax bill.

Dr Jaroslav Drasar was ordered before Southampton Magistrates’ Court to answer for £1,790.48 of unpaid council tax.

Ben Richards, speaking for the city council, said that Dr Drasar, who lives at Beechfield Court care facility in the Regents Park area, had been sent a final notice and then finally a summons.

But the pensioner says he has paid the money, adding that after he became stranded in Spain due to lockdown, he was unable to return home so his benefits were cut.

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He told the court: “The Department of Work and Pensions are already deducting almost £80 a month from my pension credit for that.

“Some of that money is being used for council tax purposes.”

But Southampton City Council says this is being used for rent and is completely separate to council tax payments.

Daily Echo: Dr Jaroslav Drasar outside Southampton Magistrates' Court.Dr Jaroslav Drasar outside Southampton Magistrates' Court. (Image: Newsquest)

Dr Drasar, began his holiday in Andalucia, Spain in March 2020 and didn’t return to the UK until May 22, 2022.

During this time he says his benefits were cut by the council due to him being abroad during the Covid pandemic.

And he said he was unable to return because his medical conditions meant he couldn’t be vaccinated against the virus.

But after an appeal against this cut was turned down by a tribunal judge, the council pursued court action against him.

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Magistrate Andy Sherman told him: “There doesn’t seem to be any reason why you are not liable for this money owed to the council.

“I can’t see any defence that you have. You may not agree with that but hopefully, you understand why the court believes you are liable for it.”

A liability order was issued for the unpaid council tax which allows the council to take money directly from certain benefits or wages.

But Dr Drasar says this is a “denial of [his] rights” and that this should not have been issued until after the appeal time limit for his tribunal claim had concluded.

He told the Echo: “I will not give up on this. There has to be justice. I will take legal advice somehow [and] somewhere and I will appeal it.”