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The man has been fined £500 after mistaking the W on his car registration for another letter

A man has been fined £500 and awoke to bailiffs knocking on his door – after a W on his car registration had been mistaken for another letter. Steven Ward, 41, was disturbed at his home by workers from enforcement firm CDER Group. They hit him with a note and warned him that if he didn’t pay they would take his car – so he tripped. Steven has since gotten his money back from the debt collectors. But Oldham lorry driver Gtr Manchester said: “It’s just not right. I had no choice [but to pay]. “It was awful and so demeaning that all the neighbors saw two people coming to take money that I really didn’t owe.” Steven first received a letter from Birmingham City Council in June 2022 asking him one Pay penalty of £86. He called and sent evidence his vehicle had been in Oldham – not Birmingham – at the time of the alleged offence. He says he hasn’t heard back – so figured the matter was closed. But Steven got a second letter last December – this time from CDER Group – asking for more money. The letter said it was an extended fine. Steven then called and received a CCTV image of a Vauxhall Corsa – with License plates ending in either AMO or AHO. He sent back a picture of his car, a red Peugeot 206 – with the license plate AWO. He said he pointed out the error and claims he was told no further action would be taken. So Steve was shocked when the bailiff came to his door on the morning of January 13th asking for £499. Get up at 4pm and finally hit the sack at 5am – before her 9am clock to be woken up. Steven said: “I could see them taking pictures in my driveway so I went down to find the letter. “Someone or a machine must have confused the registration of the Vauxhall Corsa with my Peugeot registration. I checked with them but they said it was all settled.” Steven claims he was told he had to pay or it would be Second car – a blue Vauxhall Astra – taken within an hour.Bailiffs also said they would also take a red and black Citreon owned by his partner Danielle Clarke, 28, he claims.Steve said: “I explained on the phone , which they had told me before and they said I didn’t have to pay.” But when I told the bailiffs they just said I had to pay or they would take the cars. “I even showed them the picture of the car, who was actually in Birmingham that day, but they weren’t interested.” They said I “They said there was nothing they could do because it went to court. I couldn’t let them take the Astra because it’s very important to me.” Steven says it has since been reimbursed and a screenshot of his bank account shows a £499 payment from CDER Group on January 26. The enforcement firm was turned around comment was requested. Birmingham City Council said: “The council follows the statutory enforcement process for the issuance and enforcement of fines. “This process provides a number of avenues for contesting or contesting a fine. “The avenues for a challenge are also presented in each.” stage of the process so that anyone who has received a criminal complaint will understand how to pay or contest it.”ANPR cameras provide a high level of accuracy in capturing vehicle license plates, but there are occasional misreads due to dirty, damaged or altered number plates or the position of number plate attachments, therefore Are there any contributing facts that can lead to a possible misreading . “There is a statutory process that allows motorists to challenge a fine and each case will be assessed individually to decide whether or not the fine should be cancelled. “In cases where a vehicle registration number may have been misread, motorists should follow the statutory process to allow an investigation and if this is confirmed the case will be cancelled.” Council is understood to be investigating Steven’s complaint further .