A motorist from Reading has been ordered to pay £2,477.50 in fines and costs after being prosecuted for using his deceased father’s disabled parking badge. Dr Emir Patel, 33, pleaded guilty to fraud at Reading Crown Court on 17 March 2026 after he was caught using the permit to park in a disabled bay.
The incident took place on 5 November 2025 when a Reading Borough Council civil enforcement officer identified a red Renault parked at St Mary’s Butts displaying a badge that had been cancelled seven months earlier following the death of the original holder. While the case was initially suitable for a magistrates court, Patel elected to face a crown court trial where he pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006.
The total financial penalty includes a £560 fine, £1,917.50 to cover investigation and legal costs, and a £244 victim surcharge. This case is the latest in a series of enforcement actions by the council, which has secured at least 11 successful prosecutions for badge misuse since 2015. In January 2026, another driver was found guilty of using a counterfeit copy of a stolen badge on Castle Street.
Local authorities are using these cases to remind the public that the Blue Badge scheme is strictly for the use of the person named on the permit. It is a criminal offence for friends or family members to use a badge if the holder is not present in the vehicle, even if the badge belonged to a relative who has passed away.
Official data indicates that misuse of these permits is a growing concern across the country. Figures from other areas show that the use of badges belonging to deceased individuals more than doubled in 2025, while the discovery of fake badges tripled during the same period. Residents who suspect a badge is being used illegally are encouraged to contact the council to report the misuse.
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