Two drivers who misused other people’s Blue Badges have been ordered to pay a total £2,056 by York Magistrates, following action by Council officers and Veritau.
Veritau - who investigated these cases on behalf of City of York Council - found that both drivers used other people’s Blue Badges to park fraudulently in dedicated spaces.
On Thursday 5 February, York Magistrates ordered Ela Guneri, aged 20 of Queen’s Drive, Bedford to pay a total £856.70. This followed checks of Blue Badges made during a Parking Day of Action by Veritau on 23 May 2025.
Used in Castle Car Park to park in a space dedicated for Blue Badge Holders, this badge was checked. It was found to be registered as stolen. A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was issued and an investigation was instigated by Veritau’s counter fraud team.
The investigation confirmed 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 driver of the vehicle using the badge was found to be Ela Guneri from Bedford who is a student in York. The investigation found that the badge had been misused on at least two other occasions.
When interviewed under caution, Miss 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.
Another case of Blue Badge fraud was sentenced on Thursday 11 December 2025. Sara Knaggs, aged 49 of Woodlea Avenue, York, was found guilty by York Magistrates 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 was parked on a single yellow line in a restricted parking zone 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 York Magistrates Court which found her guilty of the wrongful use of a Blue Badge, and ordered her to pay a fine of £440, a surcharge of £176 and costs of £584.20.
Councillor Katie Lomas, Executive Member with portfolio for counter fraud 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 fraud@york.gov.uk. Or, report a vehicle which is parked illegally on our Parking Hotline on telephone: 0800 1381119, or report it online.