Two men with the same surname have been successfully prosecuted for illegally using their wife’s Blue Badge.
Following investigations by the Southend-on-Sea City Council's counter fraud and investigation team, two men were convicted at Southend Magistrates' Court on 23 August 2023, for Blue Badge fraud.
Ajaz Khan, of Richmond Avenue, Shoeburyness, was found displaying his wife's Blue Badge while parked in a restricted waiting area in St John's Road, Westcliff, on 14 January 2023, by a civil enforcement officer.
Mr Khan's wife was not with him at the time and the officer retained the badge. On investigation, the council's counter fraud and investigation team found he had driven home after the badge was taken to collect his wife and returned to the scene to present her to another civil enforcement officer to make it look like his wife had been with him all the time.
A detailed examination of the evidence showed that there was an hour between Mr Khan meeting the two officers and not the 20 minutes he had claimed.
Ajaz Khan entered a guilty plea in court to unlawful use of a disabled person's parking badge and was ordered to pay a fine of £80, £575 in costs, and a £34 victim surcharge.
Hafil Khan, of Southchurch Road, Southend, was parked on double yellow lines in the Deepening in Southend, also known as the Victoria underpass, on 10 February 2023, when he was spotted by a civil enforcement officer.
Although his wife was not with him, her badge was displayed and when Mr Khan returned to the car, the officer retained the badge. Although he claimed to officers who were returning the badge to his wife, that she was with him at the time, camera footage proved otherwise.
Mr Khan did not cooperate with the investigation and did not attend court. He was found guilty in his absence of unlawfully using a disabled person's parking badge and was ordered to pay a fine of £220, £300 in costs, and a £88 victim surcharge.
Cllr James Courtenay, cabinet member for community safety and public protection, said: “We work really hard to protect the Blue Badge scheme for genuine users and as can be seen from the latest convictions, we have zero tolerance when it comes to abuse. We will not hesitate to prosecute cases where our investigations prove that misuse has taken place.
“Abuse of the scheme directly affects disabled visitors and those able-bodied drivers who misuse Blue Badges must realise the implications. Badge holders who cannot park sufficiently close to their destination often end up having to turn back home without doing what they set out to do which simply is not acceptable.”
Full details about the Blue Badge scheme rules and avoiding misuse are available on our Blue Badge page.
Blue Badge misuse is a criminal offence which can lead to a substantial fine and confiscation of the badge. Anyone who suspects that a Blue Badge is being used for the benefit of a person who is not the badge holder can report their concerns anonymously via email or by calling 01702 215254.