A Brighton man continued to use his late father’s disabled blue badge after he died so he could park for a free, a court heard last week.
Clive Buckley, who lives in Chesham Road, Kemp Town, is one of three drivers prosecuted by Brighton and Hove City Council’s blue badge fraud team.
He was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,020 after pleading guilty to two counts of Blue Badge Misuse and two counts of making a false statement in appeals against a Parking Contravention Notice.
The court heard that Buckley used his deceased father’s blue badge to avoid parking fees. The Blue Badge team receives information on which badge holders have died every week.
Simon Potel, of Lock hill, Portslade, did not appear at court but was convicted in his absence of one charge of Blue Badge Misuse. He was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,130.
Alan Docherty, of Ambleside Avenue, Telscombe Cliffs, pleaded guilty to one count of Blue Badge Misuse and was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling of £980.
Cllr Gill Mitchell, chair of Brighton and Hove City 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 crackdown on misuse of blue badges and ensure that people with disabilities can get to and enjoy everything Brighton & Hove has to offer.”
Last year, the blue badge crackdown resulted in 81 prosecutions and 230 community resolution orders.
Warnings were also issued to 184 blue badge holders and 41 other drivers.
