‘Common sense prevails’ - Court case over three minutes of parking is thrown out

Lewis Taylor, wife Nikki and son Finley. Mr Taylor was charged £100 for three minutes parking. Picture: Courtesy of Lewis Taylor (Image: Lewis Taylor)

Lewis Taylor, of Sprowston, was taken to Norfolk County Court by National Parking Enforcement, after he parked for a grand total of three minutes in the car park of the Maid's Head Hotel in Norwich almost two years ago.

Mr Taylor attended court on Friday, after weeks of stress anticipating the possibility of a court defeat and heavy costs to pay - just days before Christmas.

However, instead, the case was dismissed by the court and his £100 parking charge rescinded - much to the 28-year-old carpenter's relief.

He said: "I definitely could have done without the stress of attending court, but in the end the case was dealt with in less time than I was actually in the car park for.

"It's like I've been given an early Christmas present. I was really pleased to see that common sense prevailed in the end."

Mr Taylor, who is preparing to celebrate his new son Finley's first Christmas with wife Nikki, was summoned to court after ignoring a £100 charge issued by the controversial private parking firm.

It related to an incident on March 15, 2018, in which he spent three minutes parked in a private car park behind the hotel on Tombland - just long enough to read the sign and opt not to stay.

He said: "It has been a big stress, but I always knew I hadn't done anything wrong. The court obviously felt the same way, so happy days.

"My advice to anyone else in the same situation would be if you believe you are in the right, stand up for yourself.

"If I had been in the car park for three hours then of course I'd have held my hands up to it, but what I did wasn't unreasonable.

"The charge wasn't astronomical and we could have coped but it was a matter of principle and I'm glad I saw it through."