After a two-year struggle against a car park enforcement firm, a motorist has emerged victorious and convinced a judge to grant him compensation instead of the wrongly issued fine.

The individual, a volunteer litter picker, had parked at the Cardigan Arms in Corby Old Village, Northamptonshire, in March 2022, to collect litter as part of the "Corby Wombles" initiative. While there, he paused for a pint at the pub, which serves as a designated collection point for the group.

Despite having an open agreement with the pub landlord to utilize the ANPR-controlled car park for their activities, the motorist, named Anderson, received a fine. Despite his appeal, citing permission to park granted by the pub landlord, the enforcement firm, Civil Enforcement Ltd, persisted in their stance.

Anderson's appeal was rejected, despite the pub landlord's offer to support his case. Subsequently, the firm escalated their threats, including mentions of county court judgments (CCJs), bailiffs, and legal action. The fine also increased to £277.65, encompassing additional fees and costs.

Anderson, a retired principal building control officer for Bedford Council, recounted receiving multiple letters from various debt collection agencies.

They just try to bully and manipulate you.

"They threaten you with CCJs, and I’m a landlord with several different mortgages so that could have some serious consequences for me.

"[But] I don’t like being bullied and I didn’t want to stand for it. I was just enraged by it, I was just going for bin bags and I was invited there by the landlord.

“I just said 'I’m not paying, take me to court'. I never thought they would. I thought they’d think it was ridiculous.”

The firm argued he should have entered his registration details at the bar to register his vehicle - but there were no signs in the car park to inform Anderson of this.

He stood his ground and decided to represent himself in court last week for the "David v Goliath" battle against an advocate for Civil Enforcement Ltd.

After a two-hour hearing at Northampton County Court, the case against him was dismissed and district judge Nicholas Glassbrook awarded Anderson £100 in expenses against the company.

The judge said there were inaccuracies in the firm’s witness statement which said that signage made clear that customers had to validate their parking - but it did not.