Originally publish By Keri Trigg
A woman used her son’s blue badge to park in a disabled bay near her workplace seven times in two months, a court heard.
Marija Edwards, 48, was told to pay almost £2,500 in fines and court costs after pleading guilty to the charges, telling magistrates she was “appalled” at her actions.
Mike Davies, prosecuting for Shropshire Council, said the offences were committed in February and March this year, when Edwards used the badge to park in Beeches Lane, Shrewsbury, for the entire day while she was at work.
He said Edwards’ son was not present in the vehicle on any of the days in question, but when interviewed under caution she had claimed that he was being dropped off with her before the end of the day.
Mr Davies said: “By that time she would have been in situ for seven hours, so there was a lack of forethought by her insofar as what she was doing.”
She had also claimed she did not use the badge for financial gain, as she would have been reimbursed by her employer for any parking expenses.
However Mr Davies told the court that when the council contacted the employer they said Edwards would have had to pay for her own parking, so “there was some financial benefit”.
He added: “There is an abuse of the blue badge system currently, and that’s why Shropshire Council has been pursuing these matters quite vigorously.”
Edwards, of Park Road in Whitchurch, did not attend the hearing at Telford Magistrates’ Court in person but a letter from her was read to the court.
It said: “I can’t express strongly enough how genuinely sorry and remorseful I am for having used my son’s blue badge.
“I was trying to juggle my full time work with my family caring responsibilities and I was struggling, but felt I had to carry on with working due to the cost of living crisis.
“I was so focussed on my own day-to-day struggles that I had not thought through the consequences of my behaviour.
“I am appalled that my behaviour meant I potentially denied parking spaces to disabled persons.”
Edwards said after she was interviewed about the offences, she “made the decision to focus on my family” and immediately quit her job, though the court heard she had started a new part-time role this month.
Her statement added: “I will never again misuse a blue badge and I am appalled at myself for ever having done so.”
The magistrates imposed an £840 fine, £150 victim surcharge and ordered that Edwards pay a £1,500 contribution towards the council’s costs.
They said: “This was a flagrant abuse and misuse of the blue badge, in a system designed to benefit those who really need it.”