Spenning A Penny Lands Taxi Driver With An �80 Fine
SPENDING a penny cost taxi driver Liam Powell a total of �80 in court fees this week – because he parked in a disabled driver s parking spot in Ely city centre while visiting his office in the pouring rain. I just went to nip inside to relieve myself, an
SPENDING a penny cost taxi driver Liam Powell a total of �80 in court fees this week - because he parked in a disabled driver's parking spot in Ely city centre while visiting his office in the pouring rain.
"I just went to nip inside to relieve myself, and came out to find a PCSO putting a ticket on the car," Powell told Ely magistrates.
"I think it is unreasonable. I had left my headlights on to signify I would not be there for long.
"There was no where else I could stop legally and safely. The rain was torrential that night, which is why I stopped there for two or three minutes."
Powell, 30, of Main Street, Witchford, had earlier turned down the offer to pay a �30 fixed penalty for the offence, and chose to appear in court instead.
He admitted parking illegally in Newnham Street at Ely on September 5. The court fined him �30, and ordered to pay costs and a surcharge totalling �50.
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Prosecuting, Laura Mardell said a police community support officer saw Powell's Mercedes car illegally parked near Costa Coffee at 9.30pm. A ticket was issued when he failed to return within six minutes.
Presiding magistrate Bryant Watson told Powell: "Disabled parking bays are there for disabled drivers, and you as a taxi driver should be well aware of that.
