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Conman caught posing as disabled
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TWO men have been fined for pretending to be disabled for their own advantage.
They were caught out during Operation Cross - a crackdown on blue badge fraud by Newham Council and the Metropolitan Police.
Blue badges, issued to disabled drivers and passengers, not only allow free parking and parking in restricted areas, but also exempts holders from the £8-a-day congestion charge in London.
Dailesh Shah, 49, of Moelyn Mews, Harrow, and Somir Uddin, 45, of Whyteville Road, Forest Gate, have been fined for using fake blue badges. |
Shah, who owns a shop in High Street North, East Ham, used a counterfeit badge when he was at work.
In interview he denied knowing the badge was a fake, but admitted to knowing he should not use it, as he is not disabled and had bought it from a man who visited his shop.
Shah did not attend Stratford Magistrates Court for his case hearing and was found guilty of unlawful use of a disabled person's badge in his absence.
He has been fined £300 and ordered to pay £300 costs. Uddin was caught using a fake blue badge in Rochester Avenue, Upton Park.
During interview he said that he bought the badge for £15 from an unknown man in the street, that he had been using it and knew it was against the law.
Uddin admitted to using a counterfeit badge and wrongful use of a disabled person's badge, at Stratford Magistrates Court.
He was fined £250 and ordered to pay £100 costs. Executive adviser on equalities and social inclusion Cllr Neil Wilson said: "This type of behaviour is simply not acceptable.
"Not only is it illegal, but it makes life more difficult for people who genuinely need to use blue badges.
"We will continue to fight for the rights of disabled people and crackdown on conmen." To report a fraud call the fraud freephone hotline 0800 0522420 or email
fraud@newham.gov.uk.
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