The 35-year-old was regularly seen displaying a permit whilst parked on Dunvegan Road in Eltham, she would then head to the station to commute to central London for work.

Following a tip off, we began an investigation and discovered that Yusuf had fraudulently applied for the permit using her former address in May 2017. 

Yusuf was prosecuted under the Fraud Act 2006 and appeared at Bexley Magistrates Court on 1 October 2018, where she pleaded not guilty and chose to have her case heard by a jury at Crown Court. However, on 19 March 2019 at Woolwich Crown Court, appearing before Judge Miller she changed her plea to guilty. 

Yusuf was sentenced to a 3-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay our legal costs of £1,800 and a £20 victim surcharge.

Addressing Yusuf, Judge Miller said ‘you were of good character and have lost that through your own stupidity rather than outright dishonesty. I consider that you have been through the mill with these proceedings and I do not think that you will offend again’.

Cllr Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Integrated Enforcement said: “Resident parking permits are there for residents so they can park near their own homes, and Ms Yusuf’s fraudulent actions may have deprived a genuine resident of a much needed parking space.

“We hope Ms Yusuf has learned a valuable lesson and that her criminal record will now serve as a reminder to her and others that the Royal Borough of Greenwich will not tolerate fraud and we will not hesitate to prosecute.”

If you suspect someone is committing fraud against the Royal Borough please call 0800 169 6975 or email fraud@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. Any information you share will be treated in the strictest confidence.