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Parking row erupts after fraudster tried to use dead dad’s blue badge to avoid paying

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A 50-year-old woman used her deceased father’s blue badge to park without charge in a disabled bay.

Jacquline McGuire displayed the badge while parking at Birch Terrace car park in Stoke in June 2021.


When challenged by a traffic warden, McGuire claimed she was collecting her father.

However, she returned to the vehicle nine minutes later without him.

Blue Badge disabled parking sign in carA 50-year-old woman used her deceased father’s blue badgeGETTY

The traffic warden questioned her again about the badge’s use and subsequently issued a parking fine.

A Stoke-on-Trent City Council investigation later revealed the blue badge belonged to McGuire’s late father.

McGuire was prosecuted at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, facing charges of unlawfully using a disabled person’s badge and fraud by false representation.

The court heard that magistrates initially questioned whether to proceed, given that a parking penalty had already been issued.

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McGuire told the court: “When we parked there, my mum realised she hadn’t got any change, but with having the blue badge, I just pulled it out.

“We were there for nine minutes and I realised I shouldn’t have been there. I wouldn’t say I did it for my own gain, it was just a picture of my dad I had in the car.”

Despite the existing parking penalty, magistrates decided to proceed with the case.

They ultimately accepted that McGuire had made what they termed a “silly mistake”.

Birch Terrace Car Park

The incident occurred at Birch Terrace Car Park

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The court handed down a six-month conditional discharge for McGuire.

She was also ordered to pay £265 in costs and a £26 victim surcharge, bringing the total financial penalty to £291.

Another homeowner has sparked a heated dispute with their neighbour over parking arrangements on their residential street.

The issue has escalated to the point where the aggrieved homeowner is now considering purchasing a second vehicle.

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