Reading Woman Successfully Prosecuted for Misuse of Blue Badge

Blue Badge

A READING woman has been successfully prosecuted for misuse of a disabled person’s parking badge (Blue Badge).

Ms Lisa Timewell, 48, of Northumberland Avenue, South Reading, was sentenced at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday 23rd November 2018 and has been hit with a financial penalty of £300. Reading Council Licensing Officers, working in partnership with the Council’s Parking Services Team and Thames Valley Police, approached Ms Timewell’s vehicle in the early hours of 8th April 2018. The vehicle, parked outside the Town Hall on Blagrave Street, displayed a disabled person’s Blue Badge. On checking the credentials of the badge during an interview with Ms Timewell, officers discovered it belonged to her mother. Ms Timewell had unlawfully used the badge for parking during an evening out with friends. Ms Timewell pleaded guilty to the offence and admitted to using her mother’s Blue Badge wrongfully. The Court found her guilty but took into consideration that this was her first offence. She was fined £120 with a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £150.

Cllr Tony Jones, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Adult Social Care, said:

“The Blue Badge scheme is for people with disabilities who need to park closer to their destination. Blue Badge misuse undermines the system and takes spaces away from those who genuinely need them. Thanks to the hard work of the teams involved, we are sending out the message this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

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For information on the Blue Badge Scheme visit www.reading.gov.uk/bluebadge