Blue Badge Abusers Fined

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Three guilty of fraudulent use of disabled parking badges

Three people have been fined for fraudulently using blue disabled badges to get free parking in Shepherd's Bush.

Two of the trio were caught in the streets around Westfield, where residents have long complained about Blue Badge abuse.

Ibrahim Soliman of Dickens Avenue, Tilbury, was found guilty of using a disability badge in a resident's bay in Macfarlane Road without a valid resident’s permit or a pay-and-display ticket on display in September last year. The badge belonged to an elderly lady in Grays, Essex. Soliman was followed to a restaurant at Westfield where it was believed he worked. This followed a lengthy investigation which also resulted in Mr Soliman’s car being towed. He was fined £150 plus £460 costs and a £15 victim's surcharge.

Doreen Nortey-Burgesson of Lawrence Close, White City Estate, was caught using a fake badge in Sterne Street. The car was taken to the pound and Nortey-Burgesson was fined £200, plus £480 costs and a £15 victim's surcharge.

In a third case, Daniel Chitty of Wulfstan Street was found guilty of using a blue badge which had expired but had been amended to show a different date. He had parked in his own street. He was fined £350 plus £445 costs and a £15 victim's surcharge.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Environment said: “Blue Badge cheats rob disabled drivers of their freedom to get out of the house and the independence of travel. We are absolutely determined to stamp it out in Hammersmith & Fulham and protect some of the most vulnerable people in the borough.”

These most recent prosecutions mean there have now been nine people found guilty of blue badge fraud in Hammersmith & Fulham in the last six months.

13 March 2010