Market Drayton woman fined for misusing her child’s blue badge

A woman from Market Drayton has been ordered to pay more than £2700 for misusing her child’s disabled parking badge (‘Blue Badge’), in a prosecution brought by Shropshire Council’s trading standards and parking enforcement team.

At Telford Magistrates Court on 9 February 2026 Leanne Hoey was found guilty of misusing her child’s blue badge on 2 July 2025 in Queens Street car park, Market Drayton. She was ordered to pay a fine of £440, a victims surcharge of £176, and costs of £2104 – a total of £2720.

The offence was discovered when a civil enforcement officer patrolling the car park noticed that a female had arrived, parked in a disabled bay and exited her vehicle alone. The officer inspected the blue badge on display in her car and the identification numbers indicated it belonged to a young child.

The female, later identified as Ms Hoey, returned to the vehicle alone. When questioned about her use of the badge she repeatedly denied that it was being misused. She claimed she was intending to bring the child back to the vehicle as they were in town with another adult. However, enquiries made during the investigation revealed that the child was in fact at school almost three miles away at the time the badge was in use.

Bernie Bentick, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health and public protection, said:

“Shropshire Council provides parking concessions for blue badge holders to help people with disabilities park closer to their destination, allowing them to remain mobile and independent. Disabled bays provide wheelchair users much-needed extra space to gain access to and from their vehicles. Those who abuse the blue badge system deny vital parking spaces to people who need them the most.

“Misusing a blue badge is a criminal offence under The Road Traffic Regulation Act and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action against offenders who deliberately flout the law. This prosecution should serve as a reminder that friends or family cannot use a blue badge for their own errands.

“I hope this prosecution will act as a strong deterrent to anyone thinking they can abuse the blue badge scheme with no consequences.”