Retired bank manager gets his 100th 'intimidating' letter from TV Licensing even though he hasn't owned a telly since 1997

A retired bank manager has blasted TV Licensing for sending him 100 'intimidating' despite not owning a television since 1997. D...

A retired bank manager has blasted TV Licensing for sending him 100 'intimidating' despite not owning a television since 1997.

Derek Cheesbrough, of Plymouth, Devon, decided he'd had enough of television 22 years ago and wrote to officials telling them he'd be getting rid of his TV set.

Since then they have continued to send him letters telling him to get a television licence.

Derek has now received his 100th monthly warning - each one advising him of the consequences of illegal viewing.

He claims the 'threats' are 'a ruthless, uncaring programme of inducing mental duress to require an innocent recipient to reply when they have no legal obligation to do so'.

Derek said: 'I've had 100 letters, each threatening a knock on the door any time day or night, but no one has ever come.

'They arrive in a suitably intimidating red envelope.'

Mr Cheesbrough does not have the internet at home and does not own a smartphone.

He said he wanted to speak out as he fears that some elderly people who don't watch television might be intimidated into stumping up.

He previously hit the headlines when he received his 50th letter, which prompted some people to get in touch.

'I had letters from a 92-year-old blind woman from Cornwall, and a 72-year-old living on the moors with no TV reception,' he said.

The BBC outsources licence fee collections to Capita.

A TV Licensing spokesperson said: 'We try not to trouble people who genuinely don't need a licence.

'We have a duty to enforce the law and so we write to all addresses where there is no TV licence or a current declaration to say that one isn't needed.'

Mr Cheesbrough said he gave up television in 1997 as he thought he was 'one of those clever people who could be selective and switch off'.

'But one evening I found myself having spent two hours watching rubbish,' he said.

'So I wrote to TV Licensing to say I was dispensing with my set and would contact them if ever I decided to get another one.

'Within a week I had a letter from Capita telling me I was breaking the law.'

Mr Cheesbrough agreed that a less threatening letter, sent out once a year, would be less problematic.

The BBC controversially announced in June that most over-75s would lose free licences.