The 2012 Olympic martyrs: 'We'll go to jail rather than pay £33 Games tax', say pensioners

Tom and Rita Glenister insist the £33.33 levy imposed on London homes to cover the cost of the London Games is unfair.

They will appear in court later this month after ignoring repeated demands for the Olympic charge from their local council.

A matter of principle: Tom and Rita Glenister won't pay the Olympic charge

If convicted they face up to three months in jail.

Mr Glenister, 78, a retired civil engineer who worked on the building of the Channel Tunnel, is determined to become the first 'Olympic martyr' after widespread concern about the cost of the Games.

He and his 76-year-old wife withheld the £33.33 charge from the first instalment of their £2,320 annual council tax bill.

'We have the money to pay this tax, but it is a point of principle,' he said from their home in Barnet, North London.

'Our Prime Minister has consistently told us the London Olympics will benefit the whole country but the only people paying directly for these Games are London council taxpayers.

'Why should Londoners alone pay for the Olympics? We are two old age pensioners who might not even be here in 2012.

'It's wrong for us to fund these hugely expensive stadiums and arenas that we might never visit.

'The Beijing Olympics were wonderful and our athletes did Britain proud by winning so many medals.

'But I didn't watch much of it on TV because I was on holiday and I won't be watching in 2012.

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'There are thousands of people in London who feel the same way and they are now making their voices heard.

'But we are willing to go to prison on this issue.'

Mr Glenister, a second cousin of actor Philip Glenister, who starred in the Life on Mars TV series, is also angry about the rising cost of the London Olympics.

'These Games have never been properly costed and I believe it will be well over £10billion by the time we reach 2012,' he said.

'China have ploughed more than £20billion into hosting the Olympics and Britain is now expected to match those Games.

'That will mean only one thing - higher council tax bills and we are refusing to pay.'

Mr Glenister's stand follows recent assurances from London mayor Boris Johnson that the Olympics will not cost more than £9.3billion - nearly four times the estimate stated in the 2005 bid.

London taxpayers will contribute more than £1billion through a Greater London Authority precept, while £2billion will come from Lottery funding and £6billion from Whitehall.

Mr Glenister and his wife, a former probation officer, are due to appear before Hendon magistrates on September 16.

Their son, also Tom, said: 'It is their right to question any tax or law in this democracy without fear of persecution or incarceration.'

A spokesman for Tory-controlled Barnet Council said: 'Part of the council tax is a Greater London Authority precept to contribute towards the 2012 Olympics, which goes directly to the GLA.

'However, as a collecting authority, the council takes a strong approach to collecting any unpaid council tax and will use all available means to ensure residents pay the full amount for which they are liable.'