Blue Badge fraud is not a victimless crime, and at Hammersmith & Fulham Council we are doing all we can to prosecute offenders.
The issue of people using fake or stolen disabled parking passes is particularly serious at the borough's major attractions – football grounds and Westfield Shopping Centre – where the selfish and criminal actions of a few make it difficult for those in real need to park.
We successfully prosecuted just such a case recently, which resulted in a fine for the guilty driver.
It was four minutes before kick off at Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham FC, when one of our fraud investigators saw a black Jeep turn into Woodlawn Road, and park in a pay and display space.
The driver, Mark Mondell, placed a blue badge on the dashboard, before walking towards the football ground.
He did not purchase a pay and display ticket, and was asked to show the investigator and accompanying uniformed police officers the blue badge: which featured a picture of another man, who was not present.
Fulham landlord Mr Mondell claimed this was his uncle, who he was meeting and was in Bishops Park.
After apparently making an attempt to contact this uncle, without success: Mr Mondell got into the vehicle, saying he wasn't happy about the situation, and drove off – leaving officers with the Blue Badge.
It later transpired that the owner of the permit could not have been in Bishops Park, as he was in custody at the time.
A year after these events, of November 2015, and Mr Mondell continued to stick to his story.
He was tried at West London Magistrates Court, on 27 January, changing his plea to guilty mid-way through his evidence, after admitting that he did not park in order to meet the Blue Badge holder.
Mr Mondell was ordered to pay a fine of £180, £1745 costs, and a £20 victim surcharge.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council successfully prosecuted 170 cases of Blue Badge fraud in the last year – the second highest figure for any borough in the country.
We always taken action to ensure the law is upheld to protect residents.
