Five blue badge cheats caught illegally using disabled parking permits have been brought before the courts.
Keith Wilshir, 57, of Suncote Avenue, Dunstable; Catherine Jones, 44 of Athenaeum Road, Whetstone; Ilham Quronfoleh, 24, of Gibbon Road, Acton; Anastasia Kyriacou, 44, of Fore Street, Edmonton; and Raho Xaaji, 45, of Airco Close, West Hendon, were all sentenced after pleading guilty to blue badge misuse charges at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on 26 July.
The court was told that when challenged by officers from the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) in separate operations, Wilshir, Jones, Xaaji and Quronfoleh were all found to be using blue badges which had belonged to relatives which had died.
Wilshir admitted using his deceased father’s badge to park; Jones, was found to be using the badge of her mother who had passed away; and Xaaji was found to be using her deceased mother’s badge. Quronfoleh was found to be parking using a badge registered to her boyfriend’s father who had passed away.
Kyriacou was found to be using her mother’s badge to park without her present which was the third time she had committed the offence the court were told.
Sentencing the five, magistrates ordered Wilshir to pay a £600 fine, £773.63 costs and a victim surcharge of £60.
Jones was fined £800, ordered to pay costs of £842.25 and a victim surcharge of £80.00.
Xaaji was ordered to pay a £250 fine, costs of £808.32 and victim surcharge of £25.00.
Kyriacou was sentenced to a fine of £800, Costs of £906.79 and a victim surcharge of £80.00.
Quronfoleh was fined £500, told to pay costs of £790.53 and a victim surcharge of £50.00.
Blue badges can only be used by the named badge holder, or by a person who has dropped off or is collecting the badge holder from the place where the vehicle is parked. It is a criminal offence for anyone else to use a blue badge in any other circumstances.
In June, CAFT officers carried out a spot check operation in Chipping Barnet and Golders Green, checking dozens of badges and leading to six badges being seized.
Barnet Council Leader, Councillor Richard Cornelius, said: “It is not acceptable for people to be fraudulently using blue badges, they are intended to assist the badge holder, not to allow other drivers to park for free or avoid parking restrictions.
“Anyone caught misusing one of these badges can ultimately find themselves being brought before the courts and with a criminal record.”
To report a fraud call the fraud hotline 020 8359 2007 or visit www.barnet.gov.uk