A MOTORIST must pay £1,652.67 after he illegally used a blue badge for a disabled person near the city centre.

Thomas Prior, 67, parked in Castle cark park on August 14 last year, York Magistrates Court heard.

When he did so, he displayed a blue badge thereby claiming he was entitled him to park free in one of the disabled person’s parking places in the car.

But it was not his blue badge and the holder of the blue badge was not present in the vehicle at the time.

He was therefore not entitled to use it on that journey to park for free, the court was told.

Prior, of Waterside Road, Barton upon Humber near Hull pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a disabled person’s badge.

He was fined £600 and ordered to pay a £240 statutory surcharge and £812.67 prosecution costs.

City of York Council brought the case against him.

Last August, The Press reported the anger when all the disabled parking bays in Clifford Street opposite the Hilton were filled with cars, none of which were displaying a blue badge. 

These bays are not inside Castle car park.