A Great Yarmouth man who used his wife's blue badge disabled parking permit to go shopping in the town has ended up with a lot more than a shopping bill - a £1,225 court charge.

Ben Howgate, 33, was convicted in his absence on Tuesday at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court of unlawfully using a disabled person's badge on June 1 last year.

The court heard Howgate, of Albion Road, had parked his wife's Citroen Picasso in the town centre's King Street and the vehicle was spotted by an enforcement officer.

Leona Page, prosecuting for blue badge issuer Norfolk County Council, said: "He confirmed the blue badge belonged to his wife, who he was doing shopping for."

Howgate, who did not appear in court or send in any plea by post or email, was fined £660 and ordered to pay costs of £499 and a victim surcharge of £66.

It was his first offence relating to a blue badge.