David Donohue, from Radford, was given a 20-day sentence by city magistrates who heard he was in arrears dating to April 1997.

A Coventry City Council spokesperson said repeated attempts had been made to collect the money but to no avail.

Magistrates jailed him after being told of the number of payment opportunities he had been granted over a long period.

The council said it was determined to reduce the amount of unpaid tax owed.

It said it would take whatever action was necessary to recover money.

It said anyone in genuine financial difficulty should contact the authority for help and advice.