A pensioner who used his dead wife’s disabled badge to park for free has been fined.
Anthony Bowles, 84, was due to appear at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Monday 9 January) but he failed to attend and the case was heard in his absence.
Prosecutor Lorna Bennett said that a Gloucestershire County Council enforcement officer was on patrol when she spotted a man parking a Rover on double yellow lines.
The officer investigated the vehicle in Henrietta Street, Cheltenham, on 30 May last year. She found a blue badge – issued to severely disabled people to assist them in accessing goods and services – in the window.
After investigating the badge it was found to be registered to a female, not a male. Soon after, the defendant arrived back at his vehicle with shopping.
The officer asked to look at the badge and Bowles confirmed it was his deceased wife’s. He told the officer that he did not know it was an offence to use somebody else’s badge.
The magistrates found the allegation proved and fined the defendant, of Fiddlers Green, Cheltenham, £50. He must also pay £50 costs and a £22 surcharge.
