A mayor has agreed to scrap a fine given to an Army veteran for parking in a bus lane so he could help a homeless man on Christmas Day.
Councillor Peter Soulsby made the embarrassing u-turn after initially refusing to overturn the £70 penalty charge handed to 43-year-old Lee Williamson.
But he was slapped with the fine by Leicester City Council and was gobsmacked when the authority refused to cancel it despite explaining his reasons for stopping.
Even after Mr Williamson’s story hit the headlines the mayor stood his ground and said the enforcement cameras were there as an ‘important safety measure’.
Mr Williamson (pictured) was handing out treats as part of his work with ‘Once, We Were Soldiers’, which carries out patrols to speak to homeless veterans
Lee Williamson, who works with a charity helping rough sleepers, spotted the man outside Leicester railway station on Christmas morning and stopped in a bus lane (pictured)
Mr Williamson (left) sent an email to the council to explain the situation but they have refused to rescind the fine (right)
Councillor Peter Soulsby made the embarrassing u-turn after initially refusing to overturn the £70 penalty charge handed to 43-year-old Lee Williamson
Mr Williamson, of Evington, Leicester, said he had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the support after his case received global attention.
‘It’s been crazy really. I’ve had people from all over the world offering support and help.
‘I’m just glad common sense had prevailed eventually. But its been quite a battle and I don’t think it would have happened if I hadn’t gone public.’
The mayor was today forced to backtrack on his original decision and revealed he would be making sure the fine was cancelled.
The former squaddie, who served with the Royal Anglian Regiment for five years, blasted jobsworth council workers
Speaking to the BBC, Mr Soulsby said: ‘Common sense should prevail in certain situations and this is one of those situations.
‘To punish him for doing a good deed on Christmas day is crazy, rules can be taken to an extreme.
‘We should do everything we can to make sure Lee isn’t punished and the fine is cancelled.
‘It’s a Good Samaritan doing a good deed and fining him is just an absolute and utter nonsense.’
The carpenter, 43, who served as a private soldier for five years (above), said there was no traffic on the roads at all and he wanted to do something kind
A businessman living in France also contacted Lee to say he would pay the fine for him after being disgusted with his treatment by the council.
David Poole, 42, originally from Nottingham but now works in internet marketing for a company in Cognac, decided to track Lee down and send him the cash.
Mr Williamson vowed that he would not pay the find and was willing to take the matter to court
Mr Williamson added: ‘It just goes to show sometimes it pays off to stand up to the big boys and I’m relieved I don’t have to pay it now.
‘I had the local radio station call me up and asked me to do an interview and speak with the mayor so I was able to directly to tell him my story.
‘He said he would overturn the £70 fine because common sense should prevail in certain situations.
‘I am glad its all sorted now as its been hanging over me for a couple of months. I’m happy that I wasn’t the only one who thought it was completely ridiculous.’
Speaking on Tuesday (6/2) Lee, who works with the charity ‘Once, We Were Soldiers’, said he had felt like he was being ‘punished for doing something good’.
He added: ‘I’m pretty disgusted, there should be digression, I could understand if the road was busy but there was no one around.
‘They told me it was not safe to park there. How can it be unsafe if there are literally no other road users around?
‘The fine is £70 – that money could put someone who is homeless in a home for a week with food.’
Mr Williamson said he had the supplies in his car as he works with ‘Once, We Were Soldiers’, which carries out patrols to speak to homeless veterans
What do Once, We Were Soldiers do? How volunteers give homeless veterans shelter, food and clothing
Once, We Were Soldiers provides support for veterans who return from active service with the British Armed Forces and end up living on the streets.
Based in the Midlands, the charity is run entirely by volunteers and looks to offer food, clothing and sometimes shelter to ex-servicemen and women.
As many as 10 per cent of homeless people in the UK are former military personnel, some of which have struggled to adjust to civilian life on their return.
Some can even turn to a life of alcohol or drugs due to the effects of post traumatic stress disorder.
Once, We Were Soldiers has a number of transition centres, which is claims serves as a ‘stop gap’ between military and civilian life.
The charity aims to provide short-term accommodation and ultimately a permanent address, as well as medical treatment and rehabilitation.
To find out more about the charity’s work, or to donate to the cause, visit www.owwsoldiers.co.uk
Once, We Were Soldiers provides support for veterans who return from active service with the British Armed Forces and end up living on the streets