Woman fined for improper use of a Blue disabled badge

Jackie Nolan, 70, of Buckhurst Road, Bexhill, pleaded guilty to the offence when appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court on September 28. The offence took place at Hastings on July 16. She was fined £115 and ordered to pay £100 in costs.

SEE ALSO: Man jailed after briging knife into the Conquest HospitalSussex Police and East Sussex County Council (ESCC) have been working together over the past two years to tackle misuse of disabled driver blue badges throughout East Sussex.

Blue badges are issued to a person who meets disability criteria after assessments by the council.

Unfortunately, many people every year are caught misusing these badges, which is a criminal offence, police say.

Many offenders get caught trying to use another person’s badge to gain free parking or to park in a disabled bay.

People have also been caught altering the badge if they have been refused a renewal, using someone’s badge following their death or just displaying an expired badge, police confirmed.

In 2015 a total of 173 badges were seized from the streets of Sussex, with people caught misusing them in various ways.

badge seizures increased in 2016, with 198 badges confiscated and resultant police or council sanctions.

If anyone currently owns a disabled blue badge which is out-of-date or they no longer need it – it should be returned to the Blue Badge team, St Mary’s House, Eastbourne.

Alternatively unwanted blue badges can be handed in at any police station, marked for the attention of PC Lloyd Archer at Hastings police station.