A fine reward for woman who helped injured man in Dewsbury

Alison Goddard is being charged for being 18 minutes over the time limit at a car park on Railway Street. She was late because she was helping an elderly man (Terry Hall) who had a hypo attack and was lying on the floor. Terry is a carer and was looking after a severely disabled elderly woman at the time (Josie Prokurat). Alison called the paramedics and stayed with him until they arrived. (D525A349)

Mother-of-three Alison Goddard called an ambulance after seeing Terry Hall lying on the floor and bleeding near Dewsbury’s retail park.

Mr Hall, who was looking after disabled friend Josie Prokurat, had suffered a diabetic fit and collapsed while out shopping.

Full-time carer Mrs Goddard, who was with two of her children, went to help the 61-year-old, knowing she risked outstaying her parking time.

But despite her heroic efforts, carpark managers ParkingEye initially refused an appeal to overturn the ticket.

Mrs Goddard, 45, said: “There was no way I was going to leave a man that was bleeding on the floor.

“What did they expect me to do – walk past him?! It’s disgraceful.”

Mr Hall, of Savile Town, said he was absolutely disgusted at the company’s decision

He said: “If it hadn’t been for Alison I don’t know what I would have done.”

Mrs Goddard had been shopping with two of her children, aged 13 and seven, on June 2.

She spotted Mr Hall in Railway Street when she was returning to the car park in front of the row of shops containing Next, Halfords and other stores.

“I just checked Terry’s breathing and kept talking to him,” she said.

“I got somebody to call an ambulance and I stayed and waited for the first responder and the ambulance.

“I saw he was diabetic so tried to give him some Lucozade to drink. I also made sure Josie was OK.

“I knew I wouldn’t make it back to the car in time but I didn’t care – I thought ‘I can’t leave him, I can’t do that.’”

Mr Hall, who has looked after 58-year-old Ms Prokurat for more than 20 years, only remembers walking along Railway Street before feeling tired.

He said: “The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by paramedics.

“It was a Sunday and there wasn’t many people around. I am extremely grateful to Alison for staying with me.”

Mrs Goddard, of Gomersal, said the first time she ever received a parking fine was just one week earlier in the same car park – but she paid it as soon as possible because she was at fault.

She added: “I just don’t think it’s fair [in this case].

“I had a genuine reason – I was helping someone that was unconscious and bleeding on the floor.”

Mrs Goddard had a first appeal turned down by ParkingEye in the summer, and learned last week that a second appeal to independent resolution service POPLA had also been refused.

She faced a visit to county court if she did not pay a £100 fine.

But as the Reporter went to press, ParkingEye had a change of heart and decided to drop the charge.

A spokesman said: “Although the charge was correctly issued, due to the mitigating circumstances of this particular case we have cancelled it as a gesture of goodwill.”