A man from Melksham has been convicted at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court following repeated incidents of threatening and abusive behaviour towards a Wiltshire Council Parking Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) in Melksham.
Che Lee‑Cummins appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on 24 April 2026, where he pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He was ordered to pay £100 in compensation.
The case followed a series of incidents in Market Place, Melksham, where Mr Lee‑Cummins repeatedly parked unlawfully in disabled (Blue Badge) bays despite not holding a valid Blue Badge. On at least four occasions, he directed abusive and threatening behaviour towards a CEO, a woman in her sixties, who was carrying out her duties.
Two of the incidents were captured on CCTV. In addition to confrontations at the time of enforcement, Mr Lee‑Cummins also sought out the officer after the events and continued to hurl abuse at her in the street, causing distress and intimidation.
Parking CEOs play a vital role in keeping traffic moving, protecting access for disabled drivers, emergency services and local businesses, and ensuring road safety in town centres.
The council says it takes all reports of abuse towards public‑facing staff extremely seriously and works closely with police to ensure that threatening or aggressive behaviour is dealt with robustly through the legal system.
Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, said, “Our Civil Enforcement Officers are simply doing their jobs to keep roads safe, accessible and fair for everyone. They should never be subjected to intimidation, threats or abuse for enforcing the law.
“This case sends a clear message that abusive and threatening behaviour towards council staff will be taken seriously and can result in prosecution.
“There is no excuse for abuse, and we will continue to stand up for our officers and support them when they are targeted simply for doing their work.”
The conviction supports the council’s No Excuse for Abuse campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the increasing levels of verbal abuse, intimidation and physical threats faced by frontline workers, including Civil Enforcement Officers. The campaign reinforces the message that such behaviour is unacceptable, will not be tolerated, and may result in legal action.
For more information about the council’s No Excuse for Abuse campaign, visit:
https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/News/no-excuse-for-abuse-wiltshire-council-stands-up-for-local-frontline-workers
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