Six more blue badge cheats in court

Paula Baxter (43), of Addison Road, Maltby, pleaded guilty at Rotherham Magistrates’ Court to using her grandmother’s blue badge when she was not present in Wellgate multi-storey car park in October 2010.

She was fined £75 and ordered to pay £100 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

In mitigation, Baxter, who did not attend court, claimed she was doing an errand for her grandfather.

Quassim Siddiq Sana (40), of Broomfield Grove, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to using his daughter’s blue badge when she was not present, on Percy Street, Rotherham, in October 2010. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Sana, who did not attend court but was represented by a solicitor, claimed he had no change and was going through a stressful financial period.

Charlotte Lambert (38), of Ravenswood Drive, Sunnyside, pleaded guilty of using her daughter’s blue badge, when she was not present, in the Civic car park, Rotherham, in October 2010. She was fined £50 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Lambert, who did not attend, claimed in her mitigation that she forgot she was displaying her daughter’s badge and also forgot to buy a pay and display ticket.

Karen Green (27), of Arundel Avenue, Dalton, pleaded guilty of using her son’s blue badge, when he was not present, on Corporation Street, Rotherham, in October 2010.

She was fined £35 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

In mitigation, Green, who appeared at court without legal representation, claimed she thought that she was allowed to use it when shopping for her son.

Karen Watson (48), of March Flatts Road, Thrybergh, pleaded guilty of using her mother's blue badge, when she was not present, on Nottingham Street, Rotherham, in October 2010. She was fined £35 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Watson, who also attended court unrepresented, stated in mitigation that she thought she could use the badge while shopping for her mother.

Andrea Taylor\!q (49), of Brinsworth Hall Avenue, Brinsworth, pleaded guilty of using her mother-in-law's blue badge, when she was not present, on Ship Hill, Rotherham, in September 2010. She was fined £35 and ordered to pay £50 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

In a statement, Taylor, who attended court without a solicitor, said she thought she could use it to do an errand for her mother-in-law.

The council’s Parking Services manager, Martin Beard, said: “These results are further steps in the right direction in our fight against this fraudulent behaviour.

“I am determined to continue with our work to stamp out this type of fraud and allow proper use of the blue badge scheme for people with genuine needs.”