Portsmouth boss’ “rare night out” turns to horror as he is hauled before court for parking fraud

Alan Miles, operations manager for Hilsea logistics firm Fowler Welch, lied about his five-year-old child having a seizure as he tried to wriggle out of facing justice.

But the 37-year-old, who even lodged an appeal to his Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), crumbled when interrogated to admit his crimes and said: “I can't be dealing with this any more, I used the badge falsely.”

Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard how Miles, of Sundays Hill Close, Hedge End, parked his Volvo XC40 in Ashby Place car park, Southsea, around 8pm on December 28 when suspicions were aroused during an exchange with an enforcement officer. Miles was asked if he knew he had parked in a disabled bay to which he replied: “I know I’ve got a badge.”

Miles and his wife were then seen walking off towards Osbourne Road with no child anywhere to be seen. A check revealed the badge had been cancelled after previously being lost. 

A penalty charge was issued to Miles who later appealed to Portsmouth City Council in which he pleaded “exceptional circumstances surrounding this incident” and that it was an “honest misunderstanding compounded by an unforeseen and stressful situation involving my son's health”.

An enforcement officer’s statement read out to court said in response to the appeal: “(Miles) fails to mention that the badge holder had not been with them, or that the badge itself had been cancelled. This appeal was subsequently rejected by the authority citing the detected misuse.”

But “angry” Miles continued his bare-faced dishonesty when being interviewed at the council’s civic offices after claiming their son was staying with friends in Southsea who told them he had suffered a seizure. The defendant said he and his wife went to the Meat & Barrel restaurant in Southsea where his son was having a milkshake. The dad said he checked his son over and was “happy he was fit and well” before they left him with their friends.

When quizzed that CCTV in the area would show whether this was true, Miles responded: “Yes 100 per cent.” The defendant also said he was willing to get his friends to write a witness statement to support his account.

However, Miles’ account was rejected and when challenged he finally admitted to his volley of lies, saying: “I can't be dealing with this any more, I used the badge falsely.”

He was then asked to provide a true account of his activity on the day and said his son was at home in Southampton being cared for by his mother in law. “The defendant and his wife had come into Southsea and parked alone, with the intention of meeting up with friends for a meal and had used his son's disabled badge despite being aware that this was not permitted,” the officer said in his statement.

“The defendant was questioned in regard to the appeal submitted against the parking fine. He states that he wrote and sent in the appeal as 'I was angry' due to never having received a fine before. He said he regretted appealing the penalty notice but forgot to do anything about it.”

Miles admitted one count of fraud and one charge of misuse of a disabled badge. During the court hearing he said he regretted his decision which was “driven by poor judgement”. He went on to say he was under “huge stress and pressure due to a lack of childcare” and he used the badge to obtain free parking on a “rare night out” with his wife.

The presiding magistrates said Miles had shown a “gross error of judgement' and that “using the Blue Badge illegally is a serious offence, both in the eyes of the council and the courts”. He was then served a “hefty fine” of £400 with costs of £442 and told to pay a surcharge of £160.

Miles has been employed by Fowler Welch for five years where as operations manager he is responsible for 35 HGVs and 120 personnel.