- Driver Neil Clayton, 50, was given the penalty by private operators Britannia
- Fined after he accidentally mistyped his vehicle registration into a machine
- Tradesman has vowed to fight the fine ‘to the death’ – even if it lands him in a jail
A white van man said he would rather go to jail than pay a £20 parking fine he got for accidentally mistyping his vehicle registration into a machine.
Neil Clayton was given the penalty by private operators Britannia for the minor error as he keyed in his number plate for the £4.50 ticket.
The 50-year-old protested and had the initial £85 reduced to £20 but is refusing to pay a penny more, saying he paid for the parking as required.
Neil Clayton was given the penalty by private operators Britannia for the minor error as he keyed in his number plate for the £4.50 ticket
The tradesman has vowed to fight the fine ‘to the death’ – even if it lands him in a jail cell and insists he won’t pay up.
He said: ‘I’d rather do a week in Dartmoor Prison. I’m not afraid.’
The row started when Mr Clayton parked at the Harbour Car Park on Lockyers Quay in Plymouth, Devon for a meal at celebrity chef Mitch Tonks’ Rockfish restaurant.
Mr Clayton complained when the parking firm told him he had ‘failed to make a valid payment’.
They offered to drop the fine – which would have been reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days anyway – to £20.
He accepts that he might have typed his registration number into the machine incorrectly – but is refusing to pay them a penny.
The row started when Mr Clayton parked at the Harbour Car Park on Lockyers Quay in Plymouth, Devon for a meal at celebrity chef Mitch Tonks’ Rockfish restaurant
The tradesman has vowed to fight the fine ‘to the death’ – even if it lands him in a jail cell and insists he won’t pay up
He added: ‘I told them I will see them in court. They can send me to jail if they want. I am self-employed so I don’t mind taking a week off.
‘Apparently I got most of it wrong – which is kind of strange as I know my licence plate.
‘The reason we are kicking off is because we paid the correct price.
‘I got into the car park, put my money in the machine, pressed the green button and took the ticket without checking it.
‘I don’t care if it was Santa Claus’ number plate. It shouldn’t matter. I paid their fee.’
Britannia has been contacted for comment.