A £5.6 MILLION writ for damages has been filed against Blackburn with Darwen Council by a resident who claims his housing benefit was withheld.

Darcy Aldred, 46, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, also claims the authority pursued him for an imaginary council tax bill.

A writ has been filed in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court, London.

Today the council said the court had informed it that there did not appear to be a case to answer.

But Mr Aldred is due at the High Court next month to try to persuade a judge the claim should proceed. He claims the way he was treated led to him being sacked from two jobs, losing his car through debt and spending 12 months off work sick.

He is claiming damages of £5,600,052.41 for personal injury, misfeasance and breach of human rights.

The £1,000 legal fees Mr Aldred would have already incurred to initiate a claim through the High Court have been waived because he receives benefits.

He has also avoided solicitors' costs by representing himself, spending hours every night trawling through library law books to build his case.

Mr Aldred's said his problems began when he moved into a bedsit in Adelaide Terrace, Blackburn, in October 2001.

In the writ filed last month, he claims he made an application for income-related housing benefit, but that the cash was deliberately withheld.

The writ said the council also "invented" a £658 council tax debt for a previous address in Duckworth Street, Darwen.

According to Mr Aldred, the Duckworth Street attic flat situated above a taxi office, had not been assigned a council tax banding, and so he could not pay.

He agreed to pay £52, which council staff said would settle the bill, but said soon after he began receiving demands for the unpaid bill, according to the writ.

The writ claims "vindictive" council officers deliberately acted in the knowledge that what they were doing was unlawful and they ignored letters of complaint.

Mr Aldred, a former purchasing assistant, who lives alone, said: "This has taken over my life and has messed up every aspect of it. My family has been affected, they're all bored with it. It's cost me hundreds of pounds in photocopying and I've worn out two computers and a printer.

"I'm not going to stop until I win. I'm very angry and I want my pound of flesh. I know my chances of getting lots of money are slim but I'm going to try."

Blackburn with Darwen Council assistant director of legal and democratic services Andy Docherty said: "The High Court has already stated 'there does not appear to be any cause of action against Blackburn with Darwen Council'.

"It has given Mr Aldred a period of time within which to amend his writ but he will then have to attend court to persuade a judge to give permission for the claim to proceed. The council does not have to respond until the court decides there is a case to answer.

"We understand Mr Aldred is due in court in January to present his case."