'Despicable' warden gave ticket after crash

A driver today called a traffic warden " despicable" for ticketing him just after his car had been hit by suspected joyriders.

The woman booked the smashed-up vehicle in Gleneagle Road, Streatham, despite onlookers telling her how they heard a screech and a crash as the suspected joyriders smashed into Craig Gillon's parked Peugeot.

One bystander said the driver of the Vauxhall Corsa, which had crashed into the back of Mr Gillon's car and a goods vehicle, sped away after the accident before dumping the car up the road. Mr Gillon, 38, who was working when the collision happened, said: "They took it upon themselves to issue a ticket, even though an accident had taken place. Should these people be allowed to be contractors?"

Mark Bishop, who was working nearby, confrontedthe warden. He said: "I told her, there has been an accident and the car has been pushed up the path. But she was not interested. She just said Mr Gillon can appeal."

The fiasco has been seized upon by Labour councillors, who claim Lambeth council-contracted Control Plus is "out of control" and the contract urgently needs reviewing. Control Plus would not comment but launched an investigation.

Tory leader John Whelan said in this instance, Mr Gillon's ticket would be cancelled but said drivers in similar situations should seek a crime reference number.