Portsmouth builder savages parking firm for £100 fine at Pompey Centre - when he was 'miles away'

Neil Hards, 60, has been involved in a three-year feud with Premier Park who issued him with numerous warning letters threatening court.

But the Southsea man has dubbed the firm as ‘bullies’ who carry out ‘legalised theft’, before adding: ‘I’m not going to pay when I wasn’t there. It’s not going to happen.’

Neil was accused of overstaying when parking at the Pompey Centre in Fratton Way on November 22 in 2019, which allows two hours free parking.

It is the same car park where Jamie Chalmers was wrongly given a £100 fine. On that occasion Jamie proved he was not in the car park after turning on Google Location History on his phone.

Meanwhile, Neil also said his wife had since been slapped with a ticket in the same car park after dropping their son off to work at B&Q. Neil said the ticket alleged she had parked there for 12 hours when she had dropped their son off in the morning and picked him up in the evening.

Neil said: ‘Somebody has to do something about this complete and utter nonsense, how they hound people even when given concrete evidence you're somewhere else. It is disgusting and they should be brought to account.

‘It is a case of constant bullying. I can see why people give up and pay. It's legalised theft and must be stopped.

‘I keep getting letters saying they are taking me to court but I’ve told them I’m not paying it…I was miles away at a waste firm on Portsdown Hill. I can see why people pay when they get these threatening letters.’

Neil said the situation is compounded by their appeal process. ‘You can’t speak to anyone. They just give you a payment line. They are only interested in taking your money,’ he said.

‘There is no process of appeal – they just dismiss it straightaway.’

He added: ‘Times are hard enough without companies trying to steal from you. If I was in the wrong I would have paid the fine but I’m not going to pay when I wasn’t there.’

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Premier Park was approached for comment.