Fake disabled parking blue badge case dropped against Highland councillor
The case against a Highland councillor accused of faking disabled parking blue badges so drivers of tour buses owned by her could use the restricted spaces has been dropped.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal's Service have confirmed that Maxine Smith (64), of Calrichie Cottages, Invergordon who represents Cromarty Firth on Highland Council, and is a Highland Alliance councillor, was not being pursued at Inverness Sheriff Court.
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Smith was due to stand trial on May 20 but Sheriff David Harvie heard that it should be adjourned for legal reasons. He set August 26 for the trial with an intermediate diet on July 30 to check on defence and prosecution readiness.
That intermediate diet was held in an administrative court rather than one open to the public on July 30 and the Crown announced it was being deserted.
This decision stopped the case proceeding without the facts being determined although it could be re-raised again at any time in the future.
A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service spokesperson said: “It is the duty of the Crown to keep cases under review, and following full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, the Procurator Fiscal decided that there should be no further criminal proceedings at this time.
"The Crown reserves the right to proceed in the future should further evidence become available."
Smith hit the headlines when she resigned from the SNP party group on the council in 2020.
According to Companies House, she is also a director of Thistle Excursions, which offers bus tours around the Highlands to cruise ship passengers disembarking at the port in Invergordon.
Smith again did not appear at Inverness Sheriff Court.
The charge against the councillor stated that on April 3, 2019 and November 30, 2022 at Outram Street, Invergordon, she uttered as genuine to employees of the council, a blue badge which had been altered without the authority of the local authority.
It also alleged that a previous badge had been photocopied and laminated and the badges were left on display without her being present, allowing the drivers of tour buses owned by her to obtain use of restricted parking.
