Healthy drivers caught misusing blue disabled badges sentenced

Three drivers have been fined for abusing the blue disabled badge parking system.

Vivienne Docwra, David Allen, both of Weston, and 53-year-old Kirsty Harper were sentenced at North Somerset Courthouse.

The former, aged 68, parked a silver Peugeot in Walliscote Grove Road East car park in July but used the badge belonging to her mother to claim free parking.

Docwra, of Raven Close, was fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and £30 victim surcharge.

Allen, of beechmount Drive, used his wife’s badge, even though she was at home, to park his red Jaguar in Carlton Street’s multi-storey.

The 52-year-old was fined £235 and had to pay the same legal costs and victim surcharge.

Harper, who lives in Yatton’s Henley Park, used her husband’s pass and lied to a warden that he was with her at the Town Hall but later admitted what she had done.

She received the same penalty as Docwra.

Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, North Somerset Council’s deputy leader and executive member for transport, said: “Once again these cases demonstrate a range of misuse and excuses to try and justify their use.

“There is no justification.

“Not only is it dishonest but is very unfair to genuine disabled badge holders who need to use the designated bays.

“Our civil enforcement officers will always take action when necessary and I hope these prosecutions provide a salutary lessons to those who think they might get away with it.”