Man ordered to pay more than £2000 for Blue Badge misuse

A man has been ordered to pay more than £2000 for misusing a fake Blue Badge in Shrewsbury, in a prosecution brought by Shropshire Council’s trading standards and parking enforcement team.

Bruce Fielding from London was charged with the misuse of a Blue Badge on 23 March 2025.

At Telford Magistrates Court on Monday 20 October [2025], Mr Fielding was fined £206, and ordered to pay a victims surcharge of £122 and costs of £1,693.55 – a total of £2,021.55.

The defendant wasn’t in attendance, but he had pleaded guilty by post.

Mr Fielding had parked his vehicle in a disabled bay on St Mary’s Street, Shrewsbury and had displayed a Blue Badge on the dashboard. The Civil Enforcement Officer on patrol that day had spotted that something about the badge didn’t seem quite right – it looked like a copy, and the numbers on the badge indicated that it was issued to a female born in 1922. When Mr Fielding returned to the vehicle, there was no female with him. The officer asked to inspect the badge, but the defendant failed to hand it over and instead drove off.

Enquiries later revealed that the badge was a copy of a genuine, expired badge – but the expiry date had been altered to make it appear as if it was valid.

Grant Tunnadine, trading standards and parking enforcement team manager with Shropshire Council. said:

“Shropshire Council provides on-street parking concessions for Blue Badge holders to help people with disabilities park closer to their destination, allowing them to remain mobile and independent. Inappropriate use of these parking spaces can result in badge holders missing medical appointments, not being able to get out to buy essential shopping or being unable to park for work. 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, and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action against offenders who deliberately flout the law. Our civil enforcement officers will continue to ensure that parking regulations are followed across the county and will refer any matters for investigation where there is suspicion of a criminal breach.

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