Businessman in three-day stand off with car clamping company

A businessman has been caught in a three-day stand off with a car clamping company after refusing to pay a £250 release fine. Michael Lea, 40, started his protest after his white Vauxhall Astra was clamped outside a filling station as he shopped in a neighbouring store.

He accepted he was in the wrong but bridled at the fee to have the Denver Boot removed at the Jet garage in Hull, East Yorkshire, on Wednesday afternoon.

The dispute escalated when he threatened to summon one of his company cranes to repossess his vehicle at the Jet garage in Hull, East Yorkshire. All four wheels were clamped and the van boxed in by cars being parked all around it to prevent it being taken away.


Photo from here.

Mr Lea, who runs several companies including a haulage firm and security group, has the support of his wife Natalia, 37, who is supplying him with regular snacks and hot drinks. He has also managed to sprint to his home nearby in Princes Avenue and back to use the toilet during a break in patrols by the clampers.

Back inside his van, he said: "I accept that I parked in the wrong place, but the fine was too much. Some people can't afford this and forfeit their cars. These companies need policing. I needed to take a stand.

"If it was £50 or even £100 I would have coughed up and treated it as a lesson learned, but £250 is just plain extortion and is disproportionate to my mistake." Mr Lea said has been warned the fine will increase to include a £35 a day storage charge.