If convicted you face a £1,000 fine, a £280 fee to get your seized vehicle released, on top of the daily £55 storage fee
Blue Badges are for very disabled people(Image: Getty)
Croydon Council has named and shamed Blue Badge fraudsters, slapping them with steep fines. A Blue Badge is a UK-wide parking permit that allows people with severe disabilities or health conditions to park closer to their destinations.
However some South Londoners have been cheeky and fraudulently claimed the benefits which they do not deserve or are entitled to. Croydon ’s crackdown led to the seizure of 136 badges and led to 42 vehicles being towed during its first year, with 45 chancers convicted.
If convicted you face a £1,000 fine, a £280 fee to get your seized vehicle released, on top of the daily £55 storage fee. Seven people have been prosecuted at Croydon Magistrates’ Court over the past five weeks.
Seven people have been convicted in the last five weeks and were hit with steep fines(Image: RUDI TAPPER)
Stacey Harnwell of Lewisham was fined £440 for using a stolen badge and ordered to pay an additional £480 in costs and a victim surcharge of £176, which cost him £1,096. While Edward Nigel Antwi-Nyame of Newham misused a badge belonging to a care home they managed. They were fined £293 and ordered to pay £260 in costs and a £117 victim surcharge, which set him back £670.
Lasik Malik of Bensham Manor couldn’t explain who was using their car when it showed a counterfeit Blue Badge. They were handed a £1,096 fine.
Hannah Louise McPherson Peters of Addiscombe used a stolen badge and was fined £440 and ordered to pay £480 in costs and a victim surcharge of £176, totalling £1,096. Thamalingam Thavaeasan of Croydon was done for using a dead person’s badge. They received a conditional discharge for three months and were ordered to pay £100 in costs and a victim surcharge of £26, meaning they had to cough up £126.
Kendrick Martin Smith May of New Addington used a badge belonging to a family member and was fined £150, and ordered to pay £85 in costs and a victim surcharge of £60, totalling £295. Zara Grande of Sutton failed to explain who was using their car when it displayed a counterfeit Blue Badge. They received fines totalling £365.
Executive Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, said: “My zero-tolerance approach to environmental crimes and antisocial behaviour is making Croydon a cleaner, safer borough.
“Residents told me they wanted tougher action – and that is exactly what we have taken. With more than 40 people convicted of Blue Badge fraud, and more enforcement action in the pipeline, we are acting to stop this selfish crime from happening in our borough.
“Let me be clear: if you are found to be abusing a Blue Badge in Croydon, we will investigate, seize vehicles and do everything we can to bring offenders before the courts.”
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