Seven drivers have been fined after being caught fraudulently using disabled blue badges in Brighton and Hove.
All seven admitted breaking the law when their cases were brought before magistrates by Brighton and Hove City Council.
The drivers were all convicted of using a blue badge when the holder of the badge was not present or of displaying a photocopied badge.
Some of the drivers were caught using badges that had been cancelled after being reported as being missing or stolen.
The seven were
- Owen Richards, 42, of Lansdowne Place, Hove. He was fined £70 for five offences and ordered to pay costs of £450, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £690 in total.
- Vimbai Shoko, of Montpelier Apartments, Montpelier Road, Brighton. She was fined £70 for two offences and ordered to pay costs of £100, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £340 in total.
- Russell Screen, of Knoll Close, Hove. He was fined £147 for three offences and ordered to pay costs of £450, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £767 in total.
- Deborah Laverack, of Knolton Way, Slough. She was fined £147 for one offence, committed in Hove, and ordered to pay costs of £450, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £767 in total.
- William Morrison, 71, of Ditchling Road, Brighton. He was fined £88 for one offence and ordered to pay costs of £250, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £508 in total.
- Carolyn Gillam, 62, of Elizabeth Avenue, Hove. She was fined £40 for one offence and ordered to pay costs of £100, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £310 in total.
- Beatrix Szabo, of Foxhill, Peacehaven. She was fined £70 for one offence, committed in Brighton, and ordered to pay costs of £350, a criminal courts charge of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, making £590 in total.
The cases were prosecuted by Len Batten at Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday (20 November).
The council said: “All defendants pleaded guilty either by letter on by attending the hearing.”
Councillor Gill Mitchell, who chairs the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “These prosecutions send out a clear message that blue badge misuse is being addressed in the city.
“The blue badge scheme is intended to make sure parking spaces are available for people who genuinely need them.
“We will continue to work with Sussex Police and East Sussex County Council to crack down on misuse of blue badges and ensure that people with disabilities can get to and enjoy everything Brighton and Hove has to offer.”
