Blue badge fraudster gets conditional discharge (From This Is Local London)

Penge blue badge fraudster gets conditional discharge after Croydon parking

8:20am Friday 10th February 2012 in Where I Live

Penge blue badge fraudster gets conditional discharge after Croydon parking

A youth worker who fraudulently used her mother’s disabled parking permit on four occasions has been given a conditional discharge.

Aisha Reefer, 38, of Parish Lane, Penge, told Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday that her “difficult pregnancy” was the reason she had illegally used the blue badge.

The bench heard Reefer’s car was seen, on four occasions, parked in central Croydon with Jocelyn Reefer’s Lambeth-issued blue parking permit displayed.

On two of those occasions, council officers saw Reefer in the car without her mother.

Three of the offences happened in College Road, in April and May of last year, with the fourth happening on the same day as the May offence, but in Beech House Road.

The court was told Reefer was on maternity leave from her job as a youth early-support adviser.

Taking into account an early guilty plea and previous good character, the bench imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and levied costs of £150 against her.

Councillor Phil Thomas, cabinet member for environment and highways, said: “This is the latest in a growing series of successful prosecutions by the council of drivers who break the law by the fraudulent use of blue disabled parking permits.

“Motorists have to realise that if they try to get away with this antisocial offence in Croydon, they will be caught, they will be prosecuted and they could end up losing their good character - it really isn’t worth the risk.”