Two men prosecuted for misusing blue badges in Ipswich and Newmarket

Ipswich: So, two guys just got in trouble for misusing blue badges in Suffolk. It’s a big deal because these badges are meant for folks who really need them.

First up is Valon Aliaj from London. He showed up in court and admitted to using a blue badge that wasn’t his at a car park in Ipswich. An officer spotted him and realized he wasn’t the badge holder.

Aliaj claimed it belonged to a family member, but when the council looked into it, they found no connection. He later said he just found the badge lying around. In the end, he got hit with a £166 fine and had to cough up £1,500 for costs.

Then there’s Nicholas Dyerson from Broadstairs. He also pleaded guilty for using a blue badge in Newmarket. A parking officer caught him parked illegally while four guys were leaving the car.

Dyerson said he had just dropped off the badge holder, but since the holder wasn’t there, the officer took the badge. Turns out, it belonged to someone who had passed away, and it was canceled last year. He ended up with a £146 fine and over £900 in costs.

Councillor Beccy Hopfensperger spoke out about this, stressing how important blue badges are for people with mobility issues. She made it clear that misusing them is not okay, and they’ll keep cracking down on it to protect those who really need the badges.