A man from Reading in Berkshire has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 after being caught using a stolen blue badge in Ealing.
Jos Costa, of Exbourne Road, appeared at Ealing Magistrates’ Court last month (17 April 2026) after being charged under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.
The court heard Costa claimed he did not know the badge was stolen and said it had been given to him by a neighbour, but he could not explain where it had originally come from.
He was fined £600, ordered to pay a £240 victim surcharge and £350 in court costs, bringing the total to £1,190.
His case was one of 12 brought last month by Ealing Council as part of a crackdown on blue badge fraud. Across all cases, offenders were ordered to pay more than £10,000 in fines, surcharges and costs.
Since April 2025, the council says it has prosecuted 152 people for blue badge misuse, resulting in £30,500 in fines, £11,939 in victim surcharges and £93,955.51 in costs.
Tony Singh, assistant director of sustainable transport at Ealing Council, said: “We will continue to crack down on fraudsters, who deprive disabled people of the support they need and are entitled to.
“Costa’s case is just one of 12 brought before the courts last month. The message is clear: if a blue badge has not been issued to you, do not use it. Even if misuse is claimed to be a mistake, it can still result in prosecution.”
The council is also asking residents to report people if they suspect them using a blue badge fraudulently by calling the council on 020 8825 8161.
