Prosecuted, a blue badge abuser falls to Suffolk Councils’ new initiative to stop abuse of the Blue Badge Scheme.
Peter Harrell of Jasmine Road, Red Lodge has been prosecuted by Ipswich Magistrates after altering a Blue Badge’s expiry date. Mr Harrell was found guilty and fined £660 and was ordered to pay investigatory and legal costs of £2,778 and a surcharge of £66.
Mr Harrell, parked on the access to Guineas Service Road in Newmarket in November 2021, has to pay a total of £3,504 for defacing the expiry date of his Blue Badge, which he initially claimed was his mothers who died in August 2020.
Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger, Cabinet Member for Adult Care at Suffolk County Council, said “This prosecution sends a clear message that the misuse of a Blue Badge will not be tolerated in Suffolk. This is not a victimless crime. Illegally using a badge that isn’t yours is denying a disabled parking space to one of the 43,000 registered Blue Badge holders in Suffolk who have a genuine need for them.”
The Counter-Fraud Service found the badge had been cancelled a month after Peter Harrell’s mother passed away; Ms Hopfensperger said “I would like to thank our Counter Fraud Service for their work alongside the district and Borough councils in tackling Blue Badge misuse as part of our ongoing commitment to helping the people of Suffolk to live happy and independent lives.”
Blue Badges benefit the elderly or people with severe mobility or visibility difficulties to enable them to park closer to their destination. Kathy Bole, Chair of Suffolk Coalition of Disabled people (SCODP), said: “I want to commend the County Council for the action the are taking with regard to the misuse of the Blue Badges. It boggles the mind how rife this problem is and how flagrant the abusers are. Disabled people who are physically or psychologically impaired including children need these badges to be safe.”
By Alasdair English