VIDEO: Fake Wakefield Council letter posted to driveway singer threatened him with prosecution

A singer has vowed to continue performing live from his driveway after a fake letter claiming to be from Wakefield Council was posted through his door ordering him to halt his gigs or face prosecution.
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Calum Whelan has been helping to cheer local residents up by arranging the sessions outside of his Ruby Street home in Wakefield, complete with a full PA system, but the police were called during a recent performance by an anonymous complainant.

The officers in attendance gave him the all clear to continue after it was determined the 33-year-old was not breaking the law.

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But days later a letter dropped on Calum's doormat on headed paper, claiming to be from Wakefield Council's noise enforcement officer, accusing him of contravening several laws and that he could be prosecuted if he were to continue.

Calum sings on his driveway and the letter he received.Calum sings on his driveway and the letter he received.
Calum sings on his driveway and the letter he received.

Calum admitted he was devastated, but after contacting the council, it was quickly determined that the letter was bogus and the signed name at the foot of the letter was a fake.

Calum said: "I thought it might have been a mate doing it for a joke but I don't have any that would go to that length, and I thought they might put a big clue in there if it was them!

"I have no idea who it is.

"I was shocked and deeply upset that I’d caused an issue and was looking at potential charges against me.

Calum recently gave up his job to become a full-time singer.Calum recently gave up his job to become a full-time singer.
Calum recently gave up his job to become a full-time singer.
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"After reading it over and over again certain things didn’t seem right. There was no port of call to contact, several basic spelling mistakes, logo errors and accusations of things that I knew just weren’t true.

"I spoke with the head of Wakefield Council Environmental Health and she informed me that there was no complaint registered to my house or in my name, I hadn’t breached any laws. As I read her the letter she began to laugh at the basic mistakes.

"To threaten myself and my livelihood is nothing short of evil and malicious and after speaking with Wakefield Council they are looking into the origin of the letter as it is a criminal offence to impersonate an official council body and they will push for prosecution if the party involved is found."

Calum had quit his regular job earlier this year to sing full time.

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However, due to the pandemic all of his bookings have been postponed and he has no money coming in.

He started his singing sessions, which he has named 'Live On My Drive at Half-past Five', to help raise money for the NHS and for himself to help pay his bills, if people wish to donate.

And the gig have proved popular with his neighbours, and hundreds of people online with people logging on all over the country and leaving him positive feedback.

Calium said: "I’m not going to stop. I’m not going to put down my microphone. Until I’m told by the law that I’m doing something wrong then I’ll be on my driveway trying to lift spirits and dance like everybody’s watching."

Calum's next gig will be on Saturday, May 2 from 5.30pm. It will be streamed live on his Facebook page.

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