A 38-year-old Nigerian psychiatric nurse, Sophie Adebayo, has been arraigned before Bexley Magistrates court in the United Kingdom for using a forged emergency health badge to park her Mercedes for free in a pay-and-display area near her home.
The Health Emergency Badge is a London-wide scheme, which allows users to park on yellow lines and in resident bays and parking bays while attending medical emergencies in patients’ homes.
Adebayo, who was caught using the photocopied badge in a restricted parking space, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation, namely that on March 31 and May 31, 2023 in Devonshire Drive, Greenwich she dishonestly displayed a copy of the badge in a restricted parking bay.
A parking officer spotted the fraudulent badge in the Mercedes of the single-mum who has worked for the NHS for 15 years.
The Nigerian who stays in Hatfield House, Merryweather Place, Greenwich claimed she was working at the time she used it, but the prosecuting council said this was unlikely.
She also pleaded guilty to possessing an article for use in fraud, namely the photocopied badge, between March 31 and May 31, 2023 and making an article for use in fraud on March 31.
Adebayo was fined £507, with £1200 costs and must pay a £203 victim surcharge.
Magistrate Michael Foley told her: “What you have done is wrong. You have paid the fines for parking, but that is no excuse for what you have done.
“We have discussed the prospect of custody and what that would mean to you, but we have taken into account your remorsefulness and defence.
“When you are entitled to something, you are entitled to it, but when you’re not, you’re not.”
Adebayo graduated from Middlesex University, has a Masters degree from the University of East London and is employed by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health services in south-east London.
Prosecutor Lidia Iancu, representing the Royal Borough of Greenwich, told the court: “When she parked her vehicle on these two occasions she displayed a copy of the Health Emergency Badge to gain a parking concession.
“The parking officer recognised it was not genuine because of the colour etc. and that it must be a photocopy.
“No loss can be quantified and it is minimal. It is just what she could have gained from free parking.
“The most serious charge is making the forged article and she is clearly motivated by financial gain and it was not a one-off because she has been seen on two occasions.
“She has photocopied a badge that is provided in the course of her employment and this was persistent in nature and it is she that gained by obtaining the forged Health Emergency Badge.”
The tearful Adebayo made full and frank admissions when interviewed by Greenwich Council and does accept she made a copy of the badge and that was incorrect.
Adebayo’s lawyers had asked the council to drop the criminal case, but this was refused.
Ms Iancu added: “We made it clear such an outcome was unlikely due to the seriousness of the charges.
“I do not have direct evidence she was going to home visits, but these badges are only valid in housing estate zones and do not allow parking in a roadside bay.
“I cannot say where she was, but it suggests she was not using it in the course of visiting a patient.”
Adebayo’s lawyer Tahera Ahmad told the court: “These are serious allegations and Ms Adebayo is of good character with no previous convictions.
“She has entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity as she has made a mistake and accepted that mistake.
“Unfortunately she had little awareness that the photocopy would be an act of fraud.
“Her own mental health nurse was her inspiration to give back to the community and she attended university and obtained a degree.
“She was recently promoted to clinical lead and has worked for the NHS for 15 years and has a 14 year-old son.
“This has led her being extremely depressed and she had an anxiety attack the night before her last court appearance.
“She is now aware of the consequences on her work, but they are yet to be realised.”
The convictions will be reported to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and Adebayo may also face professional misconduct charges that could threaten her career.
“She works extremely hard and is not a person who makes criminal decisions and lives a law-abiding life and pays her rent on a limited income,” added Ms Ahmad.
“She gives back to the Royal Borough of Greenwich working as a mental health nurse and the two times she used the badge was to attend to her clients.
“The financial loss would have been the payment of parking. She received parking tickets and paid them.”
Before leaving, Mr Foley told Adebayo: “Let this be a big wake-up call for you. You do things for the community, but this was very foolish and we do not want to see you in court again.”
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