Pair's £500-plus court bills for flouting Blue Badge regulations in Hartlepool

Durham County Council says it took legal action against Karen Summerbell after a civil enforcement officer at Hartlepool Borough Council observed her parking in a disabled bay in Hartlepool’s Waldon Street.

The officer saw the badge did not match Summerbell or her passenger and, after inspecting it further, found the badge belonged to a different person.

Summerbell told the officer the badge belonged to her mother and she was using it as she had hurt her knee.

Due to the badge holder not being present, the officer confiscated the badge and returned it to Durham County Council.

The badge holder later confirmed she was not present at the time.

The county council then returned the badge to her.

Summerbell, 62, of Willow Drive, in Trimdon Village, pleaded guilty to mis-using a Blue Badge and was ordered to pay a £40 fine, £445.25 costs and a £16 victim surcharge by magistrates.

The county council says that just 24 hours later Hartlepool civil enforcement officers observed Jamie Leigh park in a disabled bay in Waldon Street.

After finding that the Blue Badge did not match Leigh or his passenger, Leigh confirmed that it was not his and that the badge holder was at home.

An officer confiscated the badge and returned it to Durham County Council.

County Durham officers then spoke to the owner of the badge and confirmed it had been used without them being present.

Leigh, 32, of Jack Lawson Terrace, in Wheatley Hill, has pleaded guilty to mis-using a Blue Badge at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court and was ordered to pay a £125 fine, £445.26 costs and a £50 victim surcharge.

Tracy Henderson, the county council’s chief internal auditor and corporate fraud manager, said: “Blue Badges exist to allow people with a disability to access designated parking spaces which are provided close to amenities and services.

"Both Summerbell and Leigh’s actions had the potential to prevent a Blue Badge holder accessing a disabled space and being able to access those services.

“We hope the financial and criminal penalties will serve as a warning to Summerbell, Leigh, and other members of the public that Blue Badges are for the benefit of the owner only.”