Man posed as delivery driver to avoid Leicester parking fines

James Barford claimed he was making deliveries to nearby businesses and customers

A motorist has admitted to posing as a delivery driver to avoid parking fines in Leicester.

Leicester City Council said James Barford was repeatedly caught parking in loading bays and permit areas between August 2020 and March 2021.

Barford, 34, from Nottinghamshire, produced fake delivery notes and invoices when he was challenged.

He pleaded guilty to 11 charges under the Fraud Act at Leicester Magistrates' Court last week.

Leicester City Council said Barford faked six delivery notes when he was caught parking in a loading bay near his workplace in Rutland Street in the city centre.

He then produced a further five fake invoices to challenge fines he was issued for parking in permit-only residential areas in West Street, Newtown Street, Lancaster Road, Lower Hastings Street and Tower Street.

The council said in all 11 cases he claimed he was making deliveries to nearby businesses and customers.

'Simply fraud'

Barford was first interviewed by the council in February after investigators realised the details of firms he claimed to be delivering to did not add up.

Initially, he denied some of the allegations but the following month he admitted to faking the delivery notes.

On 16 November he appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to 11 charges of making an article for use in fraud.

Barford, of Bluebell Avenue, Cotgrave, was fined £846, ordered to pay £677 costs, £630 compensation and a victim surcharge of £85.

Deputy city mayor Piara Singh Clair said: "Not only was he trying to avoid paying for parking, but also providing fake invoices to try to dodge paying the parking fines he'd incurred.

"That is quite simply fraud.

"The defendant has now had to pay far more money than the fines themselves."