Man prosecuted after threat to stab traffic warden

A man who failed to pay a £100 fine after threatening to stab a traffic warden in the throat has told a court "I don't deal with things like fines".

Mohammed Saqib Khan shouted abuse at the warden before making the threat from the seat of his car after receiving a ticket on Manville Terrace in Bradford on 25 September 2025.

Khan, 31, of Radfield Drive, was issued a £100 fine for breaching Bradford Council's anti-social driving Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

Khan failed to pay the fine, which led to him being prosecuted for failing to comply with a PSPO and appearing at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, it is believed to be the first time someone has appeared in court for breaching the PSPO by shouting abuse from a car.

Enis Rise, prosecuting on behalf of Bradford Council, told the court the warden had been taking pictures of Khan's Volkswagen as part of issuing a ticket.

He said: "When she was doing this, she noticed Khan come out of a takeaway carrying food and drink. He became abusive towards her. He was aggressive. She was shocked by some of the language he used."

Rise said the warden's body camera captured Khan shouting abuse at her before saying "I'm going to stab you in the throat".

He told magistrates if Khan had paid his £100 fine, the case would have gone no further, but because he didn't, the council decided to take him to court, costing the authority £1,000.

Khan told the court he had suffered from mental health problems for a decade after leaving the police force.

He said: "Since then I have not had an ordinary life. I haven't worked because of my mental health. I don't deal with things like fines."

Khan told magistrates he had been investigated by HMRC several years ago.

"I'm followed by police, followed by Mi5. It sounds crazy in a court room," he said.

"I've had a terrible 10 years. I don't know how you expect me to care about something like this."

Khan told the court he was on benefits and had not worked for years.

Magistrates gave him a £40 fine and ordered him to pay £300 of the £1,000 costs Bradford Council had requested, and a £16 surcharge.

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