A PARKING firm has refused to waive a fine despite it being issued as the driver was reporting to police that his friend had been raped.

The driver was waiting in a car park for a police escort to report the crime with the victim in the vehicle when he was captured by an on-site camera.

Despite explaining the circumstances to Premier Park Ltd the firm has rejected his appeal and is demanding the £100 charge.

Now the man, who lives in St Mary's, says he is disgusted with Premier Park after explaining the shocking circumstances in letters and providing the company with police crime reference numbers to prove the incident took place on December 20, 2014.

In his letters he explains how his female friend tried to report her rape to Hampshire Police at Shirley police station which when they arrived they found had been closed to the public.

When they contacted police they claim they were advised to meet in a city car park from where they would be escorted to Southampton Central Police Station.

But Premier Park Ltd is say they used the Easygym in Shirley without paying.

Despite lodging two appeals over the past three months the company is still telling him to pay the fine.

Daily Echo:

The sign warning motorists

The 32-year-old said: “I wrote in a letter to them about the situation and provided them with a crime number and told them we had been advised by police to wait there. At no point did we leave the vehicle and their cameras will show we were sat there for the whole time.

“And when the police car arrived we followed it out of the car park, but Premier Park has chosen to ignore all this and just want the £100.”

He added: “If I felt I had done anything wrong I would pay the money but I haven't. They are completely ignoring all the evidence I have put before them.

“It's like they are saying they accept how we were in a terrible situation but that we should still have to pay a fine.”

A spokesman for Hampshire Police confirmed a sexual assault was reported to officers at around 6.30am on December 20 and that the case was ongoing.

In a letter dated February 4, Premier Park wrote to the man to say it had considered his appeal but that the fine had been “issued correctly” and still stood.

The letter said: “We have considered your comments and after examining all the evidence relating to the issue of this parking charge notice we are satisfied that on this occasion the charge was issued correctly and must advise that your appeal has been denied.”

Premier Park confirmed that the appeal had been rejected following an independent appeals process, but added if they discover any new evidence in their on-going investigation into the incident they will review the charge.