Scarborough man ordered to pay £1,500 for abandoning camper van in Bridlington

John Blake, of Seamer Road, left the brown Ford camper van on land behind Quay Road in spring last year.

He was charged with abandoning a vehicle on land without lawful authority.

The case was heard in Blake’s absence at Beverley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 4 and he was found guilty.

Blake was fined £440 and ordered to pay £935.94 costs and a £176 victim surcharge.

The court heard, following reports, streetscene enforcement officers from East Riding of Yorkshire Council found the Ford camper van on land behind Quay Road.

The vehicle was in a dirty, dilapidated state, without registration, and had been left in the same spot between February and May 2025.

Following investigations, John Blake was found to be responsible for the camper van, and it was later removed by the council.

Abandoning a vehicle is a criminal offence. Where they are parked, the condition they are in, whether they have any mechanical defects or unsafe elements, can all cause a problem for the community.

Carl Skelton, director of streetscene services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “Abandoned vehicles can cause a nuisance for residents living nearby and be a safety hazard.

“We can usually resolve the situation with the owners and get them to move the vehicles themselves, but in cases like this the council will step in to remove them and recover our costs.”

The council deals with vehicles which may be abandoned on both public and private property.

Owners can be issued with a £200 fixed penalty notice for the offence, or a larger fine if the case is taken to court.

For more information or to report an abandoned vehicle visit www.eastriding.gov.uk/abandonedvehicles