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Parking fine vicar in wait to find out if ticket is quashed

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A priest who was given a parking fine on his church ambulance is waiting to find out if an independent adjudicator will quash the ticket.

Father Frank Daly, of St Peter's Church, in Hinckley, is refusing to pay the fine, which was issued at the annual Churches Together Good Friday event.

The church ambulance was parked in a loading bay in Market Place, Hinckley, so it could take worshippers home from a lunchtime service.

Leicestershire County Council bosses have refused to rescind the ticket, and an independent adjudication hearing was held at the Holiday Inn, in Leicester, yesterday.

Adjudicator Gill Ekins reserved the decision after hearing evidence from Fr Daly and from Denise Hough, who works in the council's notice processing unit.

Fr Daly said: "I'm just sad it has come to this."

During the hearing, Fr Daly argued he thought the blue badge on the vehicle allowed him to park in the loading bay – and the council should show discretion.

The Good Friday event was "enormously important" to the people who attended, "many of whom are elderly and disabled," he said.

Adjudicator Mrs Ekins asked Mrs Hough how officers decided that discretion should not be used in the case of Fr Daly's ticket.

Mrs Hough said it was applied on a case-by-case basis.

A final decision will be made in the coming weeks.

The hearing was organised by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, which decides whether to uphold or cancel parking penalties issued by councils.

It is understood there is no direct cost to the council associated with an individual adjudication hearing, and the service is funded by a levy of 65p placed on each ticket issued in England.


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