Ministry of Justice worker pays price for abuse tirade when caught parking Range Rover illegally

Former prison officer Christopher Meade, 31, was served justice after illegally parking up his Range Rover in a disabled spot at the Pyramids Centre in Southsea with his wife and children on April 10 last year.

But the day of fun was ruined after checks from an eagle-eyed enforcement officer revealed the Blue Badge left in Meade’s car belonged to his mum, who was 10 miles away in Fareham.

Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard how “hostile” Meade was approached by the city council officer before becoming “agitated” and “raising his voice”. The defendant asked the officer: “What are you, the ******* police?”

Meade, of Long Close Road, Hedge End, then gave the first line of his address and claimed his telephone number was “01-21-do one”. The dad insisted his mum was in the toilet at the Pyramids Centre despite being told she had been contacted by the officer at her home address.

The officer again asked why he was using the badge in the absence of the badge holder before the defendant became “aggressive” and shouted at the officer, "My mum, you ******* ********", before adding: “You look like an absolute ****.”

Meade, who now works for the MOJ as a homeless prevention officer where he uses “de-escalation techniques” and knows how to “put people at ease”, was then summoned to the civic officers in June.

During the interview, Meade told the officer he parked his Range Rover in the disabled bay after “driving around for ages” with there “no other parking spaces". He said he put his mum's disabled badge on display and "basically tried to blag it".

“(Meade) then claims that his wife told him to park in that disabled bay and use his mum's badge as, 'I was on crutches myself',” the enforcement officer’s statement, read out to court, said.

But Meade’s staunch defence was ripped apart. “He was advised that CCTV showed him driving straight into the car park which was less than half full, parking in a disabled bay and walking into the Pyramids with his family,” the officer said.

“He did not drive around looking for a space and he was not using a crutch on his exit from the vehicle, walking to the Pyramids or during his return.”

He went on to say that when he returned to the car and saw the officer that he “did try and blag the parking attendant by saying my mum was in the Pyramids toilet when she wasn’t” - and was in fact at home.

The defendant went on to say he was provoked by the “very irate” officer before bodycam footage showed the “calm and polite” officer throughout, even when he was being “shouted and swore” at.

Mr Meade admitted using one expletive at the officer but justified his approach, saying: “I've not sworn at him personally. I've sworn in context.”

When questioned about his aggressive behaviour, shouting, swearing and calling the officer a “mug” and a “********” Meade said: “I don’t remember that.”

Meade then attempted to blame his wife and children for his actions. “He attempts to mitigate his behaviour, and claims that 'I had my wife in my earhole and the kids are screaming', so he lied about the use of the badge,” the officer said.

“Again this was refuted, as the video footage shows that the children in the car were almost silent throughout and the only person shouting was Mr Meade himself.”

Meade admitted a charge of misusing a Blue Badge and a charge of using threatening behaviour. In court, Meade apologised to the officer for his behaviour and promised he would never misuse the badge again.

The Chair of the Bench said Meade’s behaviour was “made worse by his training and experience as a prison officer” - with his actions described as “unacceptable”. Justice was served in the form of a fine totalling £1,008.

Cabinet member for transport, councilor Peter Candlish said: "This outcome is a very clear sign that we will not tolerate abusive and anti-social behaviour towards our staff as they carry out their duties."