A MOTORIST "cynically" used a dead man's disabled person's blue badge to get out of parking charges on Remembrance Day, York magistrates heard.

Christopher Vipas, 60, ended up paying both the penalty he tried to evade and a court bill. He also got a criminal record as a fraudster.

Jan Catchpole, prosecuting for the city council, told York Magistrate's Court, Vipas parked his BMW on double yellow lines in Castlegate in the city centre on the morning of November 11.

He displayed his dead uncle's expired blue badge in its windscreen but hid the year part of its date under sunglasses.

When he returned to the car shortly before 11am, a parking control officer was standing next to it writing out a penalty notice. The traffic warden challenged him about the whereabouts of the disabled badge's holder.

"He lied and said he was at a Remembrance Day parade," said Miss Catchpole.

Vipas' uncle had died five months earlier in July and the badge, which had not been handed back to the authorities following his death, had expired in August.

"There was a cynical misuse of the blue badge," said Miss Catchpole.

Vipas, of Swinsty Court, Rawcliffe, York, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. He had no previous convictions.

He was fined £100 with a £20 victim surcharge and £225 prosecution costs. The court heard he had already paid the £70 penalty charge notice handed to him by the traffic warden.

Vipas, who represented himself, said: "I apologise for my actions. I should not have done it. I was under pressure. I couldn't find any parking space and I did it stupidly."

He said he had been trying to sort out his uncle's affairs at the time.

Councillor David Carr, the council's executive member for safer neighbourhoods, said: “Blue badges are issued to people with specific medical needs. Their misuse is illegal, deprives eligible people of accessible places to park and impacts on their quality of life. Trying to use Remembrance Day as a cover for his crime only compounded the case against Vipas’ case, and demonstrates that the council will take action against people who abuse this service.

Miss Catchpole told the court misuse of blue badges cost local authorities nationally £46 million a year.