£50 fine for blue badge cheat

Ashley Saywell (57), of Portland Close, North Anston, is the latest driver prosecuted by Rotherham Borough Council for illegally using a disabled parking badge.

He was convicted of illegally using his mother-in-law's blue badge in the Drummond Street car park when she was not present on August 6.

He attended court and pleaded guilty on Friday, November 19, at Rotherham Magistrates’ Court.

Three Magistrates heard the mitigation plea that he was “tired after having little sleep the night before because he had returned from holiday in the early hours of the morning and had parked in a disabled bay and used his mother-in-law's badge 'out of habit'.”

He was fined £50 and ordered to pay £15 victim surcharge with no order for costs.

The council’s parking services manager, Martin Beard, said: “It is very satisfying to secure another conviction.

“We will press ahead with our team effort to stamp out fraudulent use of blue badges.”