A man who kept falsely blaming councillors and council members of crimes has been slapped with a hefty fine.

Thomas Cullen repeatedly accused councillors and members of dishonesty, conspiracy, fraud, concealment, corruption and misconduct in public office in recent years.

The £100,000 debt to the public purse will be recovered against the interest of his home in the civil case brought to the High Court by the council.

Mr Cullen, who lives in Nightingale Road, Bushey started harassing the council after they rejected his complaint that about a tree preservation order about a tree in a neighbouring garden.

Mr Cullen admitted that all allegations were untrue before the trial in October last year and gave a binding undertaking to the High Court that he would stop his campaign, On agreeing to stop he also acknowledged that if he started the accusations again he would be in contempt of court, could face imprisonment and could be liable to pay the council’s legal costs.

Prior to this council lawyers have written to Mr Cullen on a number of occasions in recent years asking him to stop.

They were forced to apply for a Protection from Harassment injunction from the High Court when he began disrupting council meetings and visiting members at their homes.

In January and February this year he started posting discredited claims on Facebook and when he made false allegations of theft to the police the council’s legal team sought action.

Mr Cullen was ordered to apologise on social media, take down his previous Facebook posts and make a contribution of £100,000 toward the council’s legal costs.

The interim charging order sought by the council from the High Court to cover the £100,000 against the interest of Mr Cullen's home was granted on April, 11.