Carer wheels out pennies for fine

Maggie Gebbett, 63, was issued with the fine back in May

A carer has paid her £80 parking fine in a wheelbarrow full of pennies in protest at the penalty.

Maggie Gebbet, 63, was fined in South Street, Bromley, south London, after the ticket she bought peeled itself off her car's windscreen in hot weather.

Despite an adjudicator recommending the charge be cancelled, Bromley Council has insisted it be paid.

Mrs Gebbett, from Chislehurst, Kent, said councillors had been "extremely shabby" over the charge issued in May.

'Credible witness'

"I can understand the council going through a procedure, but when they are given advice, surely they should take that advice. It's a total charade.

"I can't believe they have been so cavalier about the whole thing. I know this has happened to others, but people get frightened about the fine going up and won't pursue it."

I'm furious about the whole business and most upset about being criminalised when I have not broken the law Maggie Gebbett

She added: I'm furious about the whole business and most upset about being criminalised when I have not broken the law."

The mother-of-two wrote to Bromley Council's parking officers enclosing a photocopy of her ticket asking them to see sense and withdraw the charge incurred in South Street.

The council declined and she was referred to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service (PATAS).

Following a meeting with a PATAS adjudicator in October, he concluded Mrs Gebbett was an "honest, credible and convincing witness" and recommended the council cancel the charge.

However, the officers chose not to adopt the lawyer's findings and requested she pay the £80 fee by 3 December or face an increased charge of £120.

"The adjudicator concludes that the contravention did occur and the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued correctly," said a Bromley Council spokesman.

"Whilst we accept that mistakes do occur, motorists need to display their pay and display ticket."