Heath and Reach woman fraudulently used Blue Badge

At Luton Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Violeta Nemes, 36, of Eastern Way, Heath and Reach, pleaded guilty to fraudulently using her daughter’s Blue Badge.

Nemes was successfully convicted of wrongful use of a disabled person’s badge and was issued a fine of £295, ordered to pay £200 towards prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £30.

On November 30, 2017, Central Bedfordshire Council checked 96 Blue Badges on display in car parks and found six instances where the badge holder wasn’t present.

This included the incident in North Street, Leighton Buzzard, where an officer spotted a Blue Badge being used by Nemes to park on double yellow lines for over 90 minutes.

An officer approached Nemes when she returned to her car. She confirmed that the Blue Badge Holder was her daughter who was not present and that she was collecting medicine for her.

Cllr Richard Wenham, executive member for corporate resources, said: “This case is a reminder that Blue Badges are not a perk for the able-bodied, or for carers who are running errands on behalf of a Blue Badge holder. The Blue Badge holder must be present when the badge is being used.

“Those that illegally park in spaces reserved for Blue Badge holders are unnecessarily taking spaces away from those with mobility problems and other disabilities who genuinely need them.

“The rules around Blue Badge use are very clear. If we catch people using them fraudulently then we will take enforcement action. We make regular checks of Blue Badges to ensure that these parking permits are being used correctly, and we will continue to clamp down on this type of fraud in the future.”

Illegal use of a Blue Badge can be reported the council by calling 0300 300 8035 or emailing [email protected].