Shropshire woman forced to pay out thousands of pounds for misusing a child's disabled parking badge
A woman has been fined and forced to pay out thousands of pounds after being found guilty of misusing a child's disabled parking badge.
Shropshire Council said that Leanne Hoey, 39, of Market Drayton, was convicted of misusing a child's disabled parking badge - also known as a blue badge, at Telford Magistrates Court on February 9.
The authority said Hoey had been ordered to pay a total of £2,720 after the prosecution brought by its trading standards team relating to an offence on July 2 last year, at Queens Street Car Park, Market Drayton.
A statement from the council said: "The offence was discovered when a civil enforcement officer patrolling the car park noticed that a female had arrived, parked in a disabled bay and exited her vehicle alone. The officer inspected the blue badge on display in her car and the identification numbers indicated it belonged to a young child.
"The female, later identified as Ms Hoey, returned to the vehicle alone. When questioned about her use of the badge she repeatedly denied that it was being misused. She claimed she was intending to bring the child back to the vehicle as they were in town with another adult. However, enquiries made during the investigation revealed that the child was in fact at school almost three miles away at the time the badge was in use."
Bernie Bentick, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health and public protection, welcomed the prosecution.
He said: “Shropshire Council provides parking concessions for blue badge holders to help people with disabilities park closer to their destination, allowing them to remain mobile and independent. Disabled bays provide wheelchair users much-needed extra space to gain access to and from their vehicles. Those who abuse the blue badge system deny vital parking spaces to people who need them the most.
“Misusing a blue badge is a criminal offence under The Road Traffic Regulation Act and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action against offenders who deliberately flout the law. This prosecution should serve as a reminder that friends or family cannot use a blue badge for their own errands.
“I hope this prosecution will act as a strong deterrent to anyone thinking they can abuse the blue badge scheme with no consequences.”
Hoey was ordered to pay a fine of £440, a victim surcharge of £176, and costs of £2,104 – a total of £2,720.
