Four convicted for Blue Badge fraud
Thursday, 11 July 2019
We led a crackdown on Blue Badge disabled parking fraud and saw another four devious drivers successfully convicted of wrongful use of a disabled person’s badge on 9 July.
Three of the cases convicted at Luton Magistrates' Court for wrongful use of disabled Blue Badges were spotted by our officers during an enforcement exercise on 28 and 29 November 2018.
John Pasquet, of Whiston Crescent, Clifton was caught in High Street, Biggleswade using the badge of his partner, who had died over a year before.
Christine Kelly, of Churchill Avenue, Aylesbury, was caught using her husband’s Blue Badge in Leighton Buzzard High Street when he was not present.
Nitin Galoria, of Drayton Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes was caught in North Street, Leighton Buzzard using his mother’s badge when she was not present.
The fourth case, also heard at Luton Magistrates' Court yesterday, was Samantha Cordery of Heronslee, Shefford. She was found to be using her father’s Blue Badge when he was not present in Bloomfield Drive, Shefford by one of our traffic wardens (also called a civil enforcement officer).
Councillor Richard Wenham, Deputy Council Leader and our Executive Member for Corporate Resources said: "People who illegally park in spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders are inconsiderately taking spaces away from those who genuinely require them. They allow a disabled person to park closer to their destination, and must only be used by another person if the badge holder is present and being dropped off or collected.
"The rules around using Blue Badge parking permits are very clear. It is a criminal offence for a person to use a badge that does not belong to them; to create a copy of a badge; to use an expired badge or to alter a badge. We will continue to clamp down on this type of fraud: If we catch people using these disabled parking permits falsely, then we will take action."
If you suspect someone of illegally using a Blue Badge, you can report them to us by calling 0300 300 8035 or by emailing car.badges@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.