Bailiffs clamp car of New Forest mum with disabled son

7:00pm Tuesday 30th June 2009

By Bob Jolliffe

A WOMAN with a sick son had her car clamped outside her home by bailiffs after a string of events led to alarming consequences.

Jemma Peterson, 26, whose six-year-old son Jordan suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, was without her car for 26 hours.

“It could have put him at risk should he have been taken ill,” she said. “I just think it was really out of order clamping my car outside my home. It’s just ridiculous.”

The case officer at Wiltshire Council, which has taken over as unitary authority from Salisbury District Council where a £30 ticket was issued in 2007, said the bailiffs were within their rights.

The bailiff, from Empire Enforcement of Ferndown, arrived on the doorstep of Mrs Peterson’s Hightown Gardens home at 4.30pm last Thursday saying her car had been clamped and asking for the outstanding £427.32.

Mrs Peterson said that after getting the original parking ticket she contacted Salisbury council, explained she had a Motability vehicle and she understood the ticket was rescinded.

But the officer said Mrs Peterson had been told that a disabled badge was needed on a Motability vehicle.

“I took pity on her and said I would allow her to make a late statutory declaration, which takes the registration of the case.

“Before then it’s a civil debt and when it’s registered it’s a legal debt,” said the officer.

However, Mrs Peterson failed to contact Northampton County Court which handles UK parking fines, claimed the officer.

Then in April 2008 Salisbury council changed systems and it was decided to close the case.

The bailiffs were informed but also asked to accept any outstanding fines that were sent to them.

“They thought they should go looking for payments,” said the officer, who then changed jobs.

When the bailiffs called to discuss Mrs Peterson’s case, other officers told them to carry on, not realising the fine had been rescinded.

“I apologised to her but I really think it’s her fault and it continued to be her error and I think going to the press is a bit cheeky,” said the officer.

“If people get a penalty charge the last thing they should do is put their head in the sand.”

“We won’t comment on who made the mistake. We are aware of what happened.”