A 77-year-old Welsh man was captured on body-worn camera footage launching a furious tirade against a traffic warden.
Stephen Doughty, a retired HGV driver from Little Henfaes Drive, could be seen striking parking attendant Wendy Williams and threatening to “lump” her in the car park fracas.
He was ordered to pay nearly £1,000 after appearing before Welshpool Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to assault by beating.
The incident occurred at Seven Stars car park in the Powys town on November 12 last year, when Doughty became enraged after believing he was about to receive a parking ticket.
The court heard that Doughty had grown increasingly agitated when the parking machine repeatedly spat out his coins.
When Ms Williams checked her handheld device and confirmed no valid £2.50 ticket had been purchased, the pensioner issued a chilling warning.
“If you give me a ticket, it will be the last ticket you’ll give,” he told her.
In the body-cam footage, Doughty could be seen exiting his vehicle and approaching the warden aggressively.
Stephen Doughty was ordered to pay nearly £1,000 after the altercation with a traffic warden in Welshpool
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CPS
He struck her hand twice while she operated her device, pointed directly at her face, and branded her work “a scum job”.
“Do you want me to lump you now?” he demanded. “I’ll thump you straight in the gob.”
The confrontation was interrupted when a civilian employee of Dyfed-Powys Police witnessed the assault and challenged Doughty directly.
“Don’t do that. Don’t put your hands on her,” the employee told him. “I saw that. Apologise. She’s on her own doing her job.”
‘If you give me a ticket, it will be the last ticket you’ll give,’ the 77-year-old fumed
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CPS
Despite the intervention, Doughty continued his verbal abuse, calling Ms Williams a “nuisance” and telling her to return to Newtown “where you come from”.
The court was informed that the retired lorry driver has two prior convictions for battery and threatening behaviour.
Following the assault, Ms Williams gave Doughty an additional 10 minutes to obtain a valid parking ticket from the machine.
During the hearing, prosecutor Helen Tench stated that the assault had caused a “detrimental impact” on the traffic warden, though no physical injuries were sustained.
Defence solicitor Robert Hanratty told the court that his client, who attended in a wheelchair, acknowledged his wrongdoing.
He explained that the Probation Service had recognised Doughty suffers from anxiety.
“He very much regrets this incident. She was doing her job, and she put up with a lot of stick,” Mr Hanratty said, adding: “Unfortunately, he chose to vent his frustration on Ms Williams.”
Magistrates imposed a total penalty of £985. The financial penalty comprised a £500 fine, £200 compensation to Ms Williams, a £200 victim surcharge, and £85 court costs.