Court: Cabbie used dead father's blue badge
A TAXI driver and owner of one of Peterborough's biggest cab firms has been clocked by the courts for using his dead father's blue badge permit to park in a disabled bay in the city centre.
A TAXI driver and owner of one of Peterborough's biggest cab firms has been clocked by the courts for using his dead father's blue badge permit to park in a disabled bay in the city centre.Muzaffar Hassan (51), of Peveril Road, New England, Peterborough, owner of 3 Star Ambassador Taxis, was ordered to pay a fine of 500 and 414 court costs by Peterborough Magistrates' Court this week for mis-using his dad's disabled permit.
Hassan was caught after displaying the badge, which is meant for use by severely disabled people who are unable or find it difficult to use public transport, in his car while parking in a disabled bay in Cattle Market Road in the city centre on July 28.
The court heard how an eagle-eyed Peterborough City Council civil enforcement officer had spotted Hassan sitting in his parked car, which had a private hire plate on it.
The officer noticed that the Blue Badge had expired on February 15 and was on display on the dashboard.
After the officer examined the badge further, Hassan told him that it belonged to his father, Muhammed Zakria, who was in the market shopping and claimed not to know it had expired.
But after initially maintaining that his father was in the market, Hassan eventually admitted that he was dead and the council's taxi enforcement team identified him as the driver.
When he was interviewed under caution at Peterborough Town Hall on September 24, he admitted being the driver of the vehicle on that date and said he had just dropped off a fare when he was spotted by the officer.
Hassan agreed during this interview that the badge was his father's but disputed the misuse of it and denied saying that his father had been in the market.
He was also unable to provide an explanation as to why the blue badge was on the dashboard of his car while he was parked in a disabled bay.
Hassan did not attend court, but in his absence the hearing was told that the badge had been issued to Muhammed Zakria and expired on February 15.
It had been deregistered in April 2008 after the council was notified that Mr Zakria had died but the badge was not returned.
City council's compliance and ethical standards manager Diane Baker said: "The blue badge scheme provides parking concessions for severely disabled people who are unable, or find it difficult to use public transport.
"In this case, the misuse of a blue badge has undermined the scheme and impacted on local people who have a genuine need for this service.
"Peterborough City Council is clamping down on this type of abuse and urges members of the public to notify the council of any concerns they have.."
For more information, call the Fraud Hotline on 01733 452250 or by email fraud@peterborough.gov.uk
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Thursday 29 July 2010
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