A CEREBRAL Palsy sufferer from Redditch has been fined £160 – after parking in his own designated parking space.
And when a debt recovery company demanded the money from Jamie Hant, his mother, Sharron, was so terrified of the bill going out to £700 if she lost the court case, that she felt forced to pay up.
Jamie, who is supported by a team of carers, has lived in his own rented flat at Alder Carr Drive, Greenlands for nearly seven years.
During that period he has had the same car and parked in the same parking space.
However in the last four years a private company has been used to patrol the car park.
This firm is UK Parking Control Ltd, who describe themselves as ‘the leading specialist in car park management’.
However on January 8 this year, despite displaying his parking permit, Jamie was fined £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
His family was appalled and one of his carers, his uncle Philip Cross, appealed by email.
“I told them Jamie was parking in his own parking space, explained all the years I had parked there and how he had never got a ticket in the past,” said Philip.
“But UK Parking Control said they had photographs of the car but it’s clear from those pictures that they don’t show the left hand side of the dashboard where his badge was.”
In March UK Parking Control turned down the appeal, sending their decision to Jamie’s email address.
However Cerebral Palsy can affect the cognitive ability of sufferers and the 27-year-old had forgotten his email password.
The next thing the family knew was when they received a letter from Debt Recovery Plus Ltd demanding settlement of the parking charge, which had now risen to £160.
“I just do not think it is right – it’s Jamie’s allocated parking space and he was displaying his badge because it is always there,” said Sharron.
“He’s got several disabilities, is on disability living allowance and he cannot work – they were just trying to make money out of us.”
Given to the end of April to pay up or be taken to court, Sharron reluctantly agreed to settle the fine.
The Redditch Standard has been unable to get in touch with UK Parking Control Ltd.
We have tried repeatedly this week to call their Coventry offices, having been at number four, three and two on their waiting list.
On the occasion we finally got to number one the line went dead.
