Father William Haymaker, of St Paul’s Anglican Parish in Bexhill, convicted of blue badge fraud and could face more charges

Father William Haymaker arrived at court yesterday to be sentenced for the offence. But the hearing was adjourned as it emerged he would be investigated over fresh allegations of more similar incidents.

The ordained minister, a rector of St Paul’s Anglican Parish in Bexhill which is part of the Anglican Independent Communion, was caught parking in a disabled bay using a blue badge belonging to a woman who had died two months before.

The 62-year-old was prosecuted by East Sussex County Council and stood trial in March after being stopped by a traffic warden in Western Road, Bexhill, in December 2015. A jury took just 45 minutes to unanimously find him guilty of possessing an article for use in a fraud.

Haymaker, who lives in Suffolk Road, Bexhill, claims to provide pastoral care for terminally ill parishioners which includes driving them to health appointments and to run errands.

But a council spokesman said rather than admit the offence and face a fine, he “continued to plead his innocence” and the case went to trial.

Yesterday Judge Christine Henson postponed his sentencing after the council’s solicitor advocate Gareth Jones said another alleged offence of a similar nature had come to light.

Judge Henson said it was not for her to decide but investigators and prosecutors may want to establish if this was a “modus operandi” for Haymaker rather than a one-off before his punishment is set.

Mr Jones said: “[The latest allegation] does need to be thoroughly investigated.”

The legitimacy of Haymaker’s position as a minister was also called into question during the hearing. But speaking to The Argus after the hearing, he said documentation proves he has been officially ordained.

The council yesterday confirmed a further investigation will be launched to see if he has committed other acts of blue badge fraud. Whether Haymaker will face further charges will be discussed tat he next court hearing on May 26.

Haymaker, who was accompanied to Hove Crown Court by his official clerical dog The Venerable Mr Piddles, branded the case a “very sad” series of events when he spoke to The Argus afterwards.

He said it had been an “honest mistake” and his actions were not malicious. But he denied the suggestion he had committed more crimes of this nature.

Mark Jobling, the council’s enforcement officer who caught Haymaker in the act, said: “This is in no way a victimless crime. Every time someone fraudulently uses a blue badge, they are taking up spaces which are needed by people who are genuinely disabled.

“We were disappointed that Haymaker consistently refused to admit the offence, but this case clearly demonstrates how seriously we take the misuse of Blue Badges.

“We hope this sends out a strong message that Blue Badge fraud will not be tolerated in East Sussex and that we won’t hesitate to prosecute offenders.”

'I WAS NOT BEING MALICIOUS, I WAS JUST TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE'

FATHER Bill Haymaker branded the saga a "comedy of errors" and said he was not being malicious and was only trying to help people.

Speaking to The Argus yesterday he said at the time of the incident he was caring for a couple and two other people.

He claims the badge belonging to a woman who had died two months before was displayed in a mix up because he had up to seven of the permits in his glove compartment.

He said he had this one in his possession because he had agreed to hand it in for her family as part of registering her death but forgot. He described this as one of those "oh shoot" moments and an honest mistake, claiming he was telling the "gospel truth."

He intended to display another active badge belonging to the patient he was chauffeuring at the time but they were mixed up because they all look very similar, he claimed.

He said: "The whole thing is quite sad unfortunately and it need not have been this way. It just shows good deeds do not go unpunished.

"I find it utterly heart breaking and I think it is such a waste of council money for what is a traffic offence.

"I was under immense pressure that morning but that was by no means an excuse.

"I am not a super criminal. I was not being nefarious or malicious. I was just trying to help people. This will not stop me helping people in the community. "

He claimed he did not believe he had parked in a disabled bay when he was stopped by a traffic warden but did not dispute what he was told by the council.

He said he would have been "happy to admit guilt and pay a fine" early on but claimed the consequences were not made clear to him and so he ended up in court. He said the "intricacies" of the circumstances were missed. He said he had tried to submit medical records in his defence during trial which supported his claim he was suffering from post traumatic shock syndrome at the time which had made him "scatterbrained" but this had not been possible.

He added: "I am not angry at anyone for this."

He denied the fresh allegations he now faces which make him subject to a further investigation and said: "That person was also very close to me. I certainly didn't do it. I never deliberately used a blue badge for my own personal gain."

• Reverend Peter Gadsden contacted The Argus to say Father Haymaker is not associated with St Paul’s Evangelical Free Church, Bexhill.

Factfile

COUNCILS investigate and prosecute people who abuse the blue badge system.

Misuse of a badge by someone who is not disabled, and the badge is used while the holder is not in the car, is an offence under section 117 of the Road Traffic Act 1984. Blue Badge offenders could be prosecuted and receive a fine of up to £1,000. There may also be a penalty imposed for any parking offence. It can also be classed as fraud as in this case and prosecuted through the courts.

Report blue badge fraud to East Sussex County Council on 01323 464244 or emailing badgefraud@eastsussex.gov.uk. Brighton and Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council also operate similar schemes.