Trio fined for blue badge fraud

Friday, March 12, 2010

Three con artists have been hit with fines after fraudulently using blue disabled badges to get free parking.

The trio were taken before magistrates after a joint operation, between council and police officers, who scoured the borough’s streets to uncover the dodgy blue badges.

These most recent prosecutions mean that there have now been nine people found guilty for blue badge fraud in Hammersmith & Fulham in the last six months.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Environment hailed the results as a victory for genuine disabled drivers.

He said: “Blue Badge cheats rob disabled drivers of their freedom to get out of the house and the independence of travel. We are absolutely determined to stamp it out in Hammersmith & Fulham and protect some of the most vulnerable people in the borough.” 

Mr Ibrahim Soliman of Dickens Avenue, Tilbury, was found guilty of using a disability badge in a residents bay in MacFarlane Road without a valid resident’s permit or a pay and display ticket on display in September last year. The badge belonged to an elderly lady in Grays, Essex.

Soliman was followed to a restaurant in the Westfield Shopping Centre where it was believed he worked. This followed a lengthy investigation which also resulted in Mr Soliman’s car being towed. He was fined £150 plus £460 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Daniel Chitty of Wulfstan Street, Shepherds Bush was found guilty after parking in Wulfstan Street using a blue badge which had expired but had been amended to show a different date. He was fined £350 plus £445 costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Finally,  Doreen Nortey-Burgesson of Lawrence Close, White City Estate, Hammersmith W12 was caught using a fake badge on Sterne Street, Hammersmith. The car was taken to the pound and Nortey-Burgesson was fined £200, plus £480 costs and £15 victims surcharge.

All three cheats were fined at West London Magistrates on Tuesday February 16.