Two drivers who misused other people’s Blue Badges have been ordered to pay a total of more than £2,000.
They used the badges to park fraudulently in dedicated spaces for disabled people.
York student Ela Guneri, 20, of Queen’s Drive, Bedford, was ordered to pay a total £856.70 by York Magistrates on 5 February.
Her car was in a space for Blue Badge holders in Castle Car Park. The badge displayed was checked during a parking day of action by City of York Council’s anti-fraid team Veritau on 23 May 2025.
It was found to be stolen. A parking ticket was issued and an investigation launched.
This found that the badge had been issued by Bedford Borough Council and that in 2024, it had been reported to them and Bedfordshire Police, as stolen.
The badge had been misused on at least two other occasions.
Ela Guneri said she had found the badge discarded in York. She said she believed that displaying it on her dashboard would enable the badge holder to see it and claim it back from her.
She pleaded guilty by post to the offence of the wrongful use of a disabled person’s badge and was ordered to pay a fine of £80, a surcharge of £32 and costs of £744.70.
This followed a previous conviction for Blue Badge fraud on Thursday 11 December 2025. Sara Knaggs, 49, of Woodlea Avenue, York, was found guilty at York Magistrates’ Court of using a relative’s badge to park fraudulently in the city centre on 15 April 2025.
The Blue Badge was spotted by a council officer, displayed in a vehicle parked on a single yellow line on Stonebow. The badge details were checked by the counter fraud team and the badge holder’s location could not be verified.
When Ms Knaggs returned to the vehicle, she and the parking officer spoke – she used abusive language – and told him it was her badge before driving off.
When interviewed under caution, Ms Knaggs admitted it was a relative’s badge. She said she had dropped them off in town before driving to and parking at the Stonebow to visit a shop.
Ms Knaggs failed to attend court. Magistrates ordered her to pay a fine of £440, a surcharge of £176 and costs of £584.20.
Councillor Katie Lomas, executive member for finance at City of York Council, said: “Fraudulent use of Blue Badges undermines this important scheme which helps enable disabled people to travel and supports their independence.
“A Blue Badge is issued to a person, not a vehicle. It can only be used when that person is in the car, being picked up or dropped off.
“Badge misuse is unlawful as it obstructs dedicated parking and unfairly disadvantages disabled people. Although rates of fraudulent use are low, we are committed to tackling it by regularly checking badges and taking action against offenders.”
City of York Council took part in a Parking Day of Action on 11 December 2025. 123 badges were checked across several locations in York. Two potential instances of misuse were identified on the day and are now under investigation.
Since 2020, the Council has completed 128 investigations into Blue Badge misuse with fraud identified in 91 cases and nine people have been prosecuted.
Anyone with information on fraudulent activity can phone the anonymous fraud hotline on 0800 9179 247, or email [email protected].
