A parking warden has been sacked after telling hundreds of motorists he would help them overturn their fine – if they posed for a PHOTOGRAPH with their ticket.
Steven Jarvis, 35, convinced drivers that he could assist their appeals if they appeared in a picture standing next to their car.
He compiled more than 200 shots of bemused – but relieved – parking offenders during two-and-a-half years working the streets of Brighton and Hove.
Steven intended to compile the shots into a book – but has now been sacked by council contractor NSL.
He said: “The pictures were part of my book project.
“I told the drivers that I could use an explanation written in my pocketbook to help them in their appeal.
“That’s why so many of them agreed to pose for a picture. But I didn’t give them any concrete assurances.”
Steven told the offending motorists that he couldn’t rescind their ticket but would back their appeal by making favourable notes in his pocketbook.
The wacky warden would then explain all they had to do to receive his help was to pose for a picture with their parking ticket.
Steven claims bosses at parking firm NSL knew he was taking the photos for more than a year before they fired him.
He said they banned him from using his official work camera – and so used his own instead.
Steven added: “They pulled me upstairs and told me they weren’t comfortable with me taking the pictures. But I just carried on using my own camera.
“I think the pictures are fantastic – they’re really funny. They’d make a great book.”
A spokesperson for NSL said Mr Jarvis had been sacked partly for taking the pictures but also for “other reasons”.
She said: “This was an isolated case. We are still investigating the incident but it is clear Mr Jarvis wasn’t meeting the standards we expect from a traffic enforcement officer.
“Appeals have to meet special criteria and the pictures would have had no effect.”
The spokeswoman added that Steven’s idea of publishing the pictures in a book was a “non-starter”.
She said: “These photographs were taken in work time and remain the property of NSL.”
“These photographs were taken in work time and remain the property of NSL.”
fair enough, I guess, anything a person does in work time is the property of the employer… Like breaking wind…….
I can’t think of a more boring book!
That is the funniest story I have read for ages. I would love to see more of those photos.