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Balham solicitor admits blue badge fraud
3:31pm Thursday 24th January 2008
Comments (22)A solicitor who fraudulently used his wife's blue badge to park outside his Balham law firm was given two suspended jail sentences yesterday.
Mohammed Lodhi, a partner at A to Z Law Services in Balham High Road, was fined £1,000 and told to pay £1,989 in costs and ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid community service.
“Our team of investigators has successfully prosecuted more than 700 parking cheats whose selfish and illegal behaviour deprives genuinely disabled people from parking spaces and brings the whole blue badge scheme into disrepute.”
Councillor Senior
He was also given a three month suspended prison sentence for one fraud offence and a second 28 day sentence for a second fraud offence both suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community service, fined £1,000 and told to pay £1,989 in costs.
Guilty plea
Earlier this month Lodhi, from Streatham, pleaded guilty to seven offences relating to blue badge abuse and fraud.
He was caught using his disabled wife's badge to park free of charge in designated disabled parking bays in Balham. he was also filmed on six separate days using the badge which enables holders to park for free in pay and display bays, resident and business permit spaces and, at times, on yellow lines. On no occasion was he accompanied by his wife.
When interviewed, Lodhi denied misuse of the badge and at South Western magistrates court he continued to deny all charges, electing to have the two more serious fraud offences heard at the crown court.
However, when at his first appearance in crown court, he pleaded guilty to all charges.
Wandsworth Council's transport spokesman, Councillor Guy Senior, said people like Mr Lodhi who manipulate and abuse the system should expect no mercy from this council or the courts.
He added: "Our team of investigators has successfully prosecuted more than 700 parking cheats whose selfish and illegal behaviour deprives genuinely disabled people from parking spaces and brings the whole blue badge scheme into disrepute."
The council called the theft of blue badges a "thriving trade" and said those it has already prosecuted for fraudulent use of a blue badge include civil servants, bank employees and an elderly care home owner.
Anyone with information about blue badge fraud should call 020 8871 8021 or 0800 085 0866 outside office hours.
Your Say YourWimbledon Guardian
Bri, Sutton says...
5:31pm Thu 24 Jan 08
Mohammed Lodhi, a partner at A to Z Law Services in Balham High Road, was fined £1,000 and told to pay £1,989 in costs and ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid community service .
Is there ever a time when there is PAID community service ?
fahad, london says...
8:27pm Thu 24 Jan 08
S Mann, says...
9:18pm Thu 24 Jan 08
me again wrote:Using a Blue Badge when its not yours IS a crime, so he is a criminal.
Cos the courts and the council have got nothing better to do. This guy got a larger punishment than most criminals get. Disabled people should pay to park anyway.
ric, kingston says...
8:46am Fri 25 Jan 08
half the people with disabled badges dont need them anyway. maybe they should look more at who they are giving them out to.
really nice to know that these are the types of so called criminals we are wasting our resourced over.
im going to go and park in a disabled bay tonight when i buy my shopping. as a protest.
bob, wandsworth says...
9:07am Fri 25 Jan 08
halle, sutton says...
9:09am Fri 25 Jan 08
Ricky, Sheen says...
9:09am Fri 25 Jan 08
Worse though,is making life difficult for disabled people. Yes, there are abusers, but selfish parking makes life so difficult for people who really need these facilities.
Parking costs should be factored into car ownership. I got rid of mine 7 years ago and I've saved a fortune.
And anyone working for the council is doing paid community service.
ric, kingston says...
9:29am Fri 25 Jan 08
if police pulled me over and i couldnt walk along a straight like i would get arrested.
i wouldnt get so angry about it if my insurance was less than a disabled person. but its not. its higher. yet i am deemed more fit to drive medically.
and i have to pay for parking.
Angie P, Wimbledon says...
9:54am Fri 25 Jan 08
ric wrote:People who are physically disabled will often have a specially adapted car, so their ability to drive is not an issue.
also. why are disable people deemed fit enough to drive. but not fit enough to walk/roll the extra distance from a parking space? if police pulled me over and i couldnt walk along a straight like i would get arrested. i wouldnt get so angry about it if my insurance was less than a disabled person. but its not. its higher. yet i am deemed more fit to drive medically. and i have to pay for parking.
I do think that they should pay for parking though...
Mike, Wandsworth says...
11:50am Fri 25 Jan 08
micra driver, london streatham says...
1:50pm Fri 25 Jan 08
ric, kingston says...
2:29pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Chris Lincoln, says...
6:21pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Jock, London says...
6:29pm Fri 25 Jan 08
Their email addresses and IP addresses will be logged somewhere, all the police need to trace them. And soon there'll be a knock at their doors. HA HA HA!
James Champion, says...
4:44pm Sat 26 Jan 08
Bri wrote:yep: its called fines repayment work where if you don't pay your court fine you get made to do community service yet get paid £6 an hour off your fine.
Mohammed Lodhi, a partner at A to Z Law Services in Balham High Road, was fined £1,000 and told to pay £1,989 in costs and ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid community service .Is there ever a time when there is PAID community service ?
A Reader, Merton says...
12:58pm Sun 27 Jan 08
bob wrote:I think the story you commenting on kind of proves that there is a great possibility you WILL be caught. I just hope you get community service near me so I can come along and laugh at you in person!!
Too right Fahad the council rip us off I have got a blue badge used it for the past 2 years saved a fortune. Catch me if you can F*****S !
Maurice, London says...
6:59am Mon 28 Jan 08
Bri, Sutton says...
8:51am Mon 28 Jan 08
I hope that none of the fraudulent users of these badges ever have to endure the disability, often very painful, that goes with it.
On the contrary Chris, let's hope they do.... and then can't find a convenient parking space, as they are all in use by other maybe not so genuine disabled people !
H.K.M BOSS, lambeth says...
9:28pm Mon 28 Jan 08
!!!!
Jock, London says...
6:26pm Tue 29 Jan 08
H.K.M BOSS wrote:Hey! Maybe they can also arrange some English lessons for you!!
wandsworth service you got your fat a** picking on people intead of giving people with a badge holder give community service to yourr self!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
Lesson 1: The comma.
Lesson 2: The full stop.
Jamie Khan, Ealing says...
11:25pm Sun 17 Feb 08
Mohammed Lodhi
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me again, London says...
5:06pm Thu 24 Jan 08