Sunday, January 07, 2007

Grumpy old man

A Welsh man who was banned from paying a 650 pound ($1,600) court debt in bronze one pence pieces says he will pay up, but he will use silver five pence pieces instead.

Michael Rees tried to pay the fine and costs for a careless driving conviction, which he disputes, with monthly instalments of 4,000 pennies - Britain's smallest denomination.

The 41-year-old said he had paid 540 pounds of the debt with wheelbarrow-loads of pennies until the fines office at Pontypridd Magistrates Court in south Wales refused to accept any more.

They cited the 1971 Coinage Act, which says bronze payments of more than 20 pence do not have to be accepted as legal tender.

Unemployed Mr Rees agreed at a court hearing on Wednesday to finish paying his debt in silver five pence pieces.

"It's still going to be causing them a problem," he was quoted as saying by Britain's Press Association news agency. It causes them a major problem because I de-bag it all and chuck it in their chute.I feel it's every person's right to pay in any denomination which they see as fit to pay."

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