A controversial clamping company which has failed to honour a court order to pay back a £125 charge has been labelled a "disgrace".

Tony Greenstein won a county court ruling against Security Core of Brighton Ltd after his wife Fiona's Rover 400 was clamped in Jubilee Street, Brighton, while she popped into the nearby library.

Mrs Greenstein displayed the disabled badge she has because her 17-year-old son Daniel is autistic. The badge had slipped off the dashboard and her vehicle was clamped.

Security Core of Brighton Ltd refused to return the £125 charge but a district judge at Brighton County Court ordered it to pay a full refund plus £10 costs and £5 interest.

But weeks later the refund had not been paid and Mr Greenstein decided to send bailiffs to the clamper's registered address in Western Road, Brighton.

He said: "I had had enough of constantly being ignored and this company refusing to refund the charge even though it had been ordered by a court.

"I sent bailiffs round but they discovered the address is simply a PO box address and there are no offices there. In essence they are taking money and hiding behind a smokescreen. There is just no accountability.

"It's a disgrace. These companies should not be allowed to get away with this. They think they can just bully people out of their cash. Scotland does not allow private clampers and we should be the same."

Mr Greenstein said the city council, which approved Security Core of Brighton Ltd as a contractor in 2005, should cut all ties with the company immediately.

Security Core hit the headlines in September last year after clampers targeted Richard Poulton, 75, and friend Val Jackson, 66, during a day trip to Brighton Marina.

They had parked in a disabled bay on the ground floor of the free car park because Mrs Jackson, a widow of Chalky Road, Portslade, has Parkinson's disease and finds it difficult to walk up and down stairs.

But because her disabled badge was displayed the wrong way round they returned two hours later to discover they had been clamped. The clamper said he would reduce the fine from £85 to £25 because of the "special circumstances", but eventually Brighton Marina bosses intervened and refunded the £25 charge.

And in July last year Shirley Poluck paid £125 to have her car released from Jubilee Street, Brighton, despite displaying the disabled badge granted for her husband who has Alzheimerís disease.

The home page of the company's website reads: "Since 2004, Security Core of Brighton Limited has leveraged it's experience as a pioneer in the security industry to become a leading provider of reliable, honest and professional security services."

The company again refused to comment when approached by The Argus yesterday.

A city council spokesman said: "We are reviewing our links with Security Core as a matter of urgency. We are currently working towards having a single contract to cover all the council's parking enforcement requirements off the public highway.

"Companies interested in this would have to be able to demonstrate the highest levels of customer service and value for money."

Have you got a story to tell about clampers? Post your message on the website or ring the newsdesk on 01273 544519