A woman has been fined after she was caught using the blue badge of her dead grandfather. Laura Morris parked her vehicle in a disabled bay in Aberdare town centre, displaying her blue badge on the dashboard, but it was only when council enforcement officers inspected the badge on display that they noticed that something was wrong.
They soon discovered it was not possible for the owner of the badge to be parked in the space or accompanying the driver because they were actually dead. Miss Morris attended an interview under caution with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's corporate fraud team, where she admitted the badge belonged to her deceased grandfather. She admitted that her actions were misguided and inappropriate.
Due to the serious nature of the case, the council referred the matter to the courts. At a hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court on February 19, Miss Morris, of Abernant Road, Aberdare, pleaded guilty to two offences of having in her possession, an article (i.e. the blue badge) for the use of or in connection with a fraud, contrary to Section 6 of the Fraud Act, 2006.
Blue badge misuse is a criminal offence and can result in a fine of up to £1,000 and a criminal record. The court ordered Miss Morris to pay £445 in total, consisting of a £100 fine, £305 in prosecution costs as well as a £40 victim surcharge. Get the latest Rhondda news first by signing up to our newsletter here
Councillor and cabinet member, Christina Leyshon, said the conviction was "particularly concerning" because the blue badge belonged to a deceased person. She added that "abuse" of the blue badge scheme would not be tolerated within Rhondda Cynon Taf. She added: "People rely on their blue badges and the scheme is designed to help people with mobility challenges access local amenities, so that they can park near workplaces, supermarkets, and health facilities. Illegal and misuse of the scheme denies a space to someone who genuinely needs it.
"It is not acceptable to misuse this service, and the recent enforcement operation shows that this council is taking action to stop this abuse. This won’t be tolerated in RCT and our dedicated team will continue to regularly patrol areas within the county borough and individuals found to abuse this support scheme will be prosecuted."
People who suspect that a ‘blue badge’ is being used fraudulently can report it on the council's website or email the Council’s Corporate Fraud Team at fraud@rctcbc.co.uk.
Join the WalesOnline WhatsApp community
WalesOnline has launched a new breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community. From the biggest court stories to the latest traffic updates, weather warnings and breaking news, it's a simple way to stay up to date with what's happening in Wales.
Want to join? All you have to do is click on this link, select 'Join Community' and you're in. We will not spam your feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group'. We occasionally treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can read our Privacy Notice here.
