In court for just 40p (From Stroud News and Journal)

In court for just 40p

A SERIOUSLY ill mum-of-two was fined £100 and hauled before the courts - all because a vandalised parking meter in Stroud would not accept her 40p pence fee.

Laura Trotman, of Ringfield Close, Nailsworth condemned the action after the fine was quashed by Gloucester magistrates on Monday.

At one point during her ordeal, bailiffs turned up at the house she shares with her husband Paul, 34, and children Danielle, four, and Luke, six, demanding money and threatening to clamp her car.

But Mrs Trotman, 25, refused to cough up, and was taken to court. Speaking after the hearing Mrs Trotman, who recently spent time in hospital with a painful digestive condition, said: "I will not be the victim at the hands of criminals who vandalise and steal.

"I will not put up and shut up. This has made me more ill than I am already so I urge people to fight back. If I can do it so can other people. It should never have come to court - I'm just so glad it's over. I'll never park in that car park again."

The bench heard she was unable to pay for an hour's stay at the Stroud District Council-run London Road multi-storey car park because thugs had smashed up all the meters.

She couldn't even pay the £5 on-the-spot fine at the council offices that day because it was a Saturday. Despite her pleas, prosecutor James Rachael insisted the case go ahead.

But magistrates took a dim view and discharged her. Earlier she had explained how all the meters had orange covers on saying 'out of order' during the incident on January 22.

She decided to leave the car without a ticket as other vehicles were not displaying them, but was dismayed to find the parking ticket on her windscreen after an hour's shopping trip.

A parking warden admitted there had been problems with vandals, but said there was nothing he could do about the ticket. He was even unable to accept Mrs Trotman's 40p fee.

Because of her hospital stay, Mrs Trotman was unable to correspond with council chiefs, and the fine spiralled out of control.