Camden News: George Lucky Oghighe | Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court | Rhyl Street | Kentish Town | Community Service

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Camden News - by PAUL KEILTHY
Published: 4 December 2008

Traffic warden to appeal conviction for assault

A TRAFFIC warden sentenced to community service last week for punching a motorist who disputed his ticket has vowed to appeal against his conviction.
George Lucky Oghighe, 45, from Woolwich, was convicted at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court of punching a van driver in the face after an argument in Rhyl Street, Kentish Town in August. He was sentenced on Thursday to 80 hours of community service for common assault, and ordered to pay £250 costs.
The parking enforcement officer, based at NCP’s Hampstead office, denied the offence throughout his trial and last week reserved the right to appeal.
The court heard that Oghighe approached the driver of a white van parked in Rhyl Street at 10.45am, shortly before parking restrictions became active.
Witnesses gave evidence that, after an argument, Mr Oghighe said: “I can issue a ticket anytime I want, that’s my job”, before hitting the victim “with a clenched fist across his face.”
Mr Oghighe denied the offence when police arrived and continued to maintain that witnesses were lying because of prejudice against traffic wardens.
The victim was not injured in the incident.
Sentencing, District Judge James Henderson QC said: “Mr Oghighe is a public servant who has attacked somebody in this way – but I have got to take into account he’s a 45-year-old man of good character.”
In mitigation, Mr Oghighe’s defence lawyers said he was likely to lose his job ticketing vehicles on behalf of Camden Council as a result of the case.
A spokesperson for the council said on Monday: “We expect NCP Services to deal with all matters of employee conduct quickly and effectively and we
will follow progress in accordance to their contract with the council.”

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