The owner of a Volkswagen T4 campervan was rudely awoken by DVLA enforcement seizing his vehicle which didn’t have insurance, tax or MOT.
The 37-year-old comedian, James Brogan, was sleeping inside the van on in Leek, Staffordshire when the DVLA’s enforcement partner NSL arrived.
James said: “I looked out of my window, I was in my pants.
“I saw these people quickly scurrying off to their car. I said to them ‘I’m homeless, you’re making this even more difficult’. They weren’t going to take the clamp off.”
It was then that Staffordshire Police were called to the scene.
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But the documents needed for its release remain inside the vehicle and it is set to be auctioned this week. Now dad-of-one James Brogan is sofa-surfing.
James added: “I tried to reason with them. I couldn’t let them take it, it’s all I’ve got.
“The only difference between me and a doorway is the van.
“The officers had a chat with NSL.
“They came back and said that if I paid the £260 clamping release fee they would allow me 24 hours to get everything sorted.
“I didn’t know if I could afford it. Then the officers came back. Five coppers dragged me out of the van and cuffed me in the middle of the car park.”
Police arrested James on ‘suspicion of pubic order offences’. He was held at the Northern Area Custody Facility for eight hours before being freed without charge.
The starting point for James to get his van back was £500, with the bill increasing every day.
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He added: “I still don’t have my van.
“I have no clothes, toothbrush, or laptop. It’s nearly a £10,000 campervan but a £200 tax bill has meant it’s going to be knackered.
“I can’t tax it over the phone, I can’t prove my identity as all my stuff is on the van.”
A police spokesman said: “We were called to Vicarage Road following reports of public order offences.
“The DVLA spotted a vehicle which was untaxed, uninsured and without a valid MOT certificate.
“The owner of the vehicle made threats to them.
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“As a result, we sent officers to the scene.
“A 37-year-old man, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of public order offences. He was later given an adult restorative disposal.”
A NSL spokesman said: “As part of day-to-day enforcement activity, NSL takes enforcement action against untaxed vehicles seen on the road in different areas of the country.
“I can confirm that the enforcement action taken in this area was part of this day-to-day activity.
“NSL is unable to comment on individual enforcement cases.”
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1 comment
those bailiffs get a kick out of this. if only they became homeless, i would take the piss.