Amputee fined for using disabled space 'after warden said blue badge was a fake'
A double amputee Royal Marine war veteran says he is being punished for 'not being disabled enough' after he was fined for parking in a designated bay.
Former Commando Ben McBean - injured in service in Afghanistan in 2008 - says he shouldn’t have to re-explain the worst day of his life every time he parks his car after a warden allegedly said his badge was “fake”.
He said the council worker questioned his legitimacy and hit him with a penalty.
Mr McBean, who lost an arm and a leg in the landmine blast in the Helmand Province, was fined in Plymouth, Devon, last Thursday.
He said the warden wouldn’t accept his offers to check and scan the badge and instantly dismissed his disability.
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He has suffered abuse a number of times after a London Marathon row (Getty Images)The 36-year-old, who now works as a motivational speaker, says on a previous incident when he used it he had been labelled a "drain" on government resources, a "d******d" and told he "doesn't deserve the badge" by local residents.
Mr McBean, once dubbed 'a real hero' by Prince Harry, explained in a video on twitter that within minutes of parking his car in a disabled parking bay, a woman began tapping on his window.
When he returned to his car 15 minutes later he found her accompanying a traffic warden and two other men.
He told The Independent: “I had to turn around to get out and so I came past them. They are in the middle of the road and they are all clapping me as I’m driving past saying ‘I’m getting a fine or going to court’.
“I think highlighting this was important. However what I’m not trying to do is get a man sacked when it’s hard enough as it is for work. He probably has a family and so on. I think the main point is people’s view on what they think is disabled.
“I shouldn’t have to put a badge on my window and then re-explain the worst day of my life. The post was just me explaining to my followers what happened and calling out the muppet traffic warden.”
He now fears his badge will be taken away for a second time - after he battled for 13 years to have it reinstated.
Wearing his prosthetic leg all day leads to uncomfortable sweating and swelling and he added: "Now with the kids and working, it can be on all day between 6am and 10pm and it just swells up and rubs skin off a bit. It is normal wear and tear for an amputee but there isn't the time to rest it now and that can cause problems."
A Plymouth City Council spokesman said: "We were deeply concerned to hear about this incident and a senior director has contacted Mr McBean so that we can investigate the matter further.
"Mr McBean's blue badge is not at risk."
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