TWO drivers have been fined after being caught using disabled parking badges belonging to people who had died.

Angela Prophet was caught parking in a disabled bay in Corn Square, Leominster using a badge issued to her father who died in 2007.

The 68-year-old from Lower Quinton in Birmingham admitted the offence at Hereford Magistrates' Court.

Also appearing was 63-year-old David Phillips, from Dinedor, who admitted using a disabled badge to park his Land Rover for free in the Garrick House multi-storey car park on Widemarsh Street in Hereford, despite the badge belonging to a person he cared for who died last June.

Phillips was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Meanwhile, Prophet was given a £100 fine and ordered to pay £250 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The two defendants were the first to be prosecuted in Herefordshire following a change in legislation in November 2013 which gave councils more power to deal with such problems. Both were prosecuted under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Councillor Paul Rone, cabinet member transport and roads, said: "Herefordshire Council will take action against those who are found to be abusing the disabled badge scheme in this manner.

"The scheme is designed to assist people with mobility issues.

"Disabled people should not expect to have their spaces used by people that have taken it upon themselves to use a badge that does not belong to them.

"It is a criminal offence for people to misuse a badge in this way.”