Abingdon driver fined for using late grandmother’s disabled blue badge
Oxfordshire County Council warns misuse of blue badges is a criminal offence
Last updated 3rd Dec 2025
A driver, from Abingdon, has been fined and ordered to pay court costs, after she admitted misusing her late grandmother’s disabled parking blue badge.
Jessica Holdsworth, 34, appeared at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Friday, 28th November 2025, following an enforcement operation led by Oxfordshire County Council’s counter fraud team.
Holdsworth parked using the blue badge outside Templars Square, in Cowley, on 15th January 2025.
Investigators interviewed Holdsworth under caution, discovering the badge she had used belonged to her grandmother, who had passed away.
She was fined £307, issued a victim surcharge of £123, and ordered to pay £911 in court costs to the council.
Warning against misuse
Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Transformation at Oxfordshire County Council, Councillor Dan Levy, highlighted the importance of protecting blue badge scheme integrity.
“The blue badge system is there for people who rely on it to help them remain mobile and independent,” Levy said.
“Those who abuse it deny vital parking spaces to people who really need them the most.
“Valid blue badges enable people to access goods and services and park near workplaces, supermarkets and health facilities. That is why we, as a council, will continue to take enforcement action to stop those misusing this service.”
Ongoing enforcement and consequences
Blue badge misuse is a criminal offence and carries a fine of up to £1,000, alongside a potential criminal record. Misusers may also face penalty charge notices and confiscation of their badge.
Oxfordshire County Council’s enforcement efforts aim to raise awareness of the scheme’s importance for people who rely on disabled parking.
The council emphasised the consequences of inappropriate blue badge use, which can result in badge holders missing medical appointments, struggling to access essential services, and being unable to commute to work.
Several similar prosecutions occurred in September 2025, December 2024, and January 2024. The council will continue monitoring misuse through on-street enforcement exercises.
Anyone who suspects misuse is encouraged to report it via Oxfordshire County Council’s website.