Man from Suffolk fined after misusing a blue badge
It belonged to someone who'd died
A man from Suffolk is having to pay more than a thousand pounds of fines after misusing a blue badge in Newmarket.
John Ryan, of Hawthorn Farm, West Row, Bury St Edmunds, appeared at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on 1st July, where he pleaded guilty to two offences: wrongful display of a blue badge and failing without reasonable excuse to produce the blue badge for inspection when asked to do so by a civil enforcement officer.
He was fined, ordered to pay investigatory and legal costs, as well as a victim surcharge, to a total of £1674.
What happened?
On the 15th December 2023, a West Suffolk Council Civil Parking Enforcement Officer came across a vehicle parked on double yellow lines in the Access Road to Guineas shopping Centre in Newmarket displaying a blue badge.
He noticed a discrepancy with the expiry date and checked the badge number with Suffolk County Council’s Blue Badge Team who found that the badge belonged to a deceased individual and had been cancelled in February 2022 but not returned to the County Council.
Ryan, who was the driver, returned to the vehicle and was asked by the Civil Parking Enforcement Officer to hand him the badge for inspection.
Ryan refused and got in the vehicle and drove away.
The case was referred to Suffolk County Council’s Counter Fraud Service for investigation who found the badge belonged to Ryan’s deceased father.
‘’Blue Badge misuse is not a victimless crime"
Georgia Chimbani, Director of Adult Social Services in Suffolk said:
‘’Blue Badge misuse is not a victimless crime. Disabled parking spaces are a lifeline to disabled people across Suffolk, giving them the ability to access community spaces, shopping and other venues. I am pleased that this individual was caught and received the fine they did.
I would like to thank the Civil Parking Enforcement Officer in this case who spotted the misuse, and the wider District and Borough councils who help us to enforce the Blue Badge system.”