A Kent police officer who parked a squad car in a Maidstone pay-and-display car park without paying was slapped with a parking ticket.

The vehicle was seen in a town centre car park and uploaded to the Spotted in Maidstone Facebook page.

Kent Police is appealing the ticket, with the force arguing the on-duty officer was attending a report of shoplifting and did not have time to pay the fee.

The officer would have had to pay £2 for up to three hours or £3 for up to four hours to park his car in the space.

But he was slapped with a £50 fine – or £25 if he pays up within 14 days – on Saturday morning.

James Beale, 28, who took the picture, said: "I had to laugh when I took this picture, fantastic!!!"

"If parked dealing with a recorded emergency, the appeals process allows the notice to be cancelled due to the mitigating circumstances presented as part of the process..." - Maidstone council spokesman

Commenting on Facebook, Emma Farley wrote: "Let's face it, they are not going to have to pay it!"

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police was called at just before 9.10am on Saturday 26 July to a report of shoplifting in progress in Week Street, Maidstone.

"Officers attending the call parked in the safest and most appropriate place at a local authority car park in Palace Avenue.

"The officers assisted in the arrest of two men on suspicion of shoplifting.

"Kent Police is in the process of appealing the parking ticket with the local authority."

A Maidstone Borough Council spokesman said: "Parking regulations are applied to all vehicles observed as parked illegally.

"This includes police vehicles, however if parked dealing with a recorded emergency, the appeals process allows the notice to be cancelled due to the mitigating circumstances presented as part of the process."

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