Merton Council has demonstrated once again that it will not tolerate any abuse of its staff after a man threatened to visit a parking officer’s home with a gun.

Police were called to the scene and the young man, who also swore at the officer and threw a parking penalty notice in his face, was ordered to pay a penalty of £80.

The officer was patrolling Goodenough Road, in Wimbledon, when he spotted a car parked without an appropriate permit.

The parking officer was fixing a penalty notice to the vehicle when a man came out of a house in the street, was verbally abusive to the council officer and threatened him, throwing the penalty notice at him, leaving him shaken.

The incident comes just months after police successfully prosecuted a Merton resident for carrying out a racially aggravated offence on another parking officer. The resident was fined £200 and ordered to pay £150 costs.

Director of Environment and Regeneration Lyn Carpenter said: “We have had a number of unprovoked assaults on council parking officers over several months and this is something we will not tolerate.

“Parking enforcement plays a vital role in managing traffic as well as making the borough a safe and pleasant environment for our residents.

“There is never any excuse for abusive or threatening behaviour of any nature. If a member of the public wishes to fairly challenge a council decision or any of the council’s rules and regulations they should contact us on 020 8274 4901.”

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