Northamptonshire man fined for refusing to fill out census form
A CREATON man has been fined for refusing to fill out his 2011 census form because of its links with an American arms manufacturer.
David Charlett, aged 45, did not attend a hearing at Northampton Magistrates’ Court yesterday but pleaded guilty by post to failing to return the form by April 6 as legally required.
In his mitigation he said: “The contract to process the census was awarded to Lockheed Martin, a subsidiary of an arms dealer.”
Charlett said by filling in the census he would be supporting the company’s profits.
He said: “This may seem absurd to some people but I have very strong feelings about this and it’s against my principles.”
The father of six was fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 in costs.
Prosecuting, Lee Shepherd said Charlett had confirmed his identity to census compliance officers on August 9 last year.
Mr Shepherd said: “He informed the compliance officers that he didn’t believe ethically and morally in arms dealers and refused to fill in the form.”
Lockheed Martin, which makes Trident nuclear missiles and F-16 fighter jets, was awarded the £150 million census contract in 2008.
Protesters argued that being asked to fill in the census was being asked to co-operate with an arms company and threatened to boycott the population survey.
At the time, a spokesman for the Office of National Statistics, which carries out the census, defended the company’s involvement and said it was a “major supplier of non-defence-related services for the public sector.”
Charlett was one of four people fined yesterday at Northampton Magistrates’ Court for failing to return the census, an offence that carries a maximum £1,000 fine.
Duncan Harris, aged 37, of Specklands, Loughton, Milton Keynes, was found guilty in his absence and fined £350 plus £100 costs.
Mr Shepherd told magistrates Harris spoke to census officers on August 16. He said: “He confirmed his name but wouldn’t give any further detail and was verbally abusive.”
Richard Baker, aged 72, of Moorhen Way, Buckingham, admitted failing to return the form.
In a submitted mitigation statement he said: “I’m a bit frail with heart and other conditions. I simply could not take on this census.
“If you want to fine me and make me a criminal for the rest of my life so be it.”
Baker was given a £100 fine and ordered to pay £100 in costs.
Samantha Hayes, aged 26, of Chapman Avenue, Downs Barn, Milton Keynes, also pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a total of £200.
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Comments
There are 12 comments to this article
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Tony Clarke
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:04 PMGood luck to him, he stood by his principles and made his point very well, and Pete I agree why it went to an American Company in the first place is beyond me. I thought Tory Governments were meant to protect UK jobs?
Pete Brown
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 07:44 AMWhy did the contract go to an american company surely we have a homegrown company capable of this type of work. I ruined mine and refused to answer any questions over and above my name and address, still waiting for them to knock the door.
SteveWonder
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 06:55 AM£££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ quite pretty really
SteveWonder
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 06:54 AM££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££
Phil123
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 10:20 PMJackson I support you, stop paying your taxes. Withhold payment of your taxes and whilst you are inside doing your stretch, you will be doing everyone a favour and we won't have to listen to you. Of course if this town is so bad you could always leave...
SteveRiches
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 08:17 PMIf his objection was from a genuinely held belief, why didn 't someone in authority simply find another way to legally process his form?
lady muck
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 08:08 PMLockheed martin is an American company...was it it impossible to find a Uk company that could have done this work ? Since these people were fined less than £350, in what circumstances would the maximum fine of £1,000 be imposed ? Why were they not all fined the same amount ?
here and there
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 05:10 PMGood for him and for Mr Baker too!
hecto
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 03:58 PMLooks like a complete miscarriage of justice. The ONS completely failed to put in legal safeguards as to who had access to census data. For more info do an internet search with google etc, for: computerweekly census 2nd August 2011 Kathleen Hall
rob-northampton
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 02:28 PMQuite funny really that he returned his form by post. Lockheed Martin also have a contract to supply the Royal mail with equipment for mail sorting - from Hi-tech machinery that scans and mechanically sorts post to computer installations worth millions and millions of pounds.
Removed by moderator
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 01:31 PMSorry but what does the "A" thing mean whenever I type the "£" sign? I am going to stop paying tax, I believe it is ethically and morally wrrong to pay taxes to people who have six children. You will support me won't you? You are a subsidiary of a child benefits system which I do not believe in. Will you pay the fine? no I suppose I will have to.
Removed by moderator
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 01:20 PM"The father of six was fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 in costs." Collecting child benefit then? I would like to stop this being paid to you. Will you support me?
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