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Osama Hassan |
Council’s parking settlement ‘derisory’
A DRIVER who took the council to court after being wrongly issued with five parking tickets but lost in a bid for compensation, now says “Westminster Council is above the law,”
Osama Hassan (pictured right) was ordered to pay costs after his trial at the London County Court was abandoned.
The judge said he had no jurisdiction to hold the council to account.
The court appearance followed a two-year war of words between Mr Hassan and the council that ended with an offer of £5 compensation, described as “derisory” by Mr Hassan.
The council warned him not to go to the court but, unrepresented, he refused to back down.
District Judge Price ordered him to pay costs of £900 and this week he was visited by a debt collection officer.
He said: “I have to pay £1,000 in costs when I was offered just £5. Where is the justice? The judge said he could not hear the case – so how am I supposed to challenge the council when they make mistakes?
He added: “I say Westminster is above the law because no one can challenge the council over a parking appeal. You have to do it their way or no way.”
Kieran Fitsall, parking manager at the council, said: “Mr Hassan applied for compensation through court proceedings, even though it was clearly explained that if he was unhappy with our decision he should follow the council’s own complaints procedure. We also advised Mr Hassan that if he failed to withdraw his county court claim, we would apply to strike it out and seek costs. We did this because we were satisfied that we had acted fairly.” |
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