A parking firm has been ordered to pay over £10,000 to charity after demanding thousands from a driver over its contentious 5-minute parking rule. Excel Parking had demanded £11,390 from 21-year-old Hannah Robinson over its strict rule which requires people to pay within five minutes of entering a car park, reported the BBC.

Ms Robinson said she paid every time, but sometimes took more than five minutes due to problems with the app or poor phone signal. She said she received hundreds of letters and repeated phone calls demanding money from Excel Parking, which took her to court in the hope of retrieving the sum. However, a judge turned the tables and ordered the firm to pay £10,240.10 to the Access to Justice Foundation which provides free legal representation, equivalent to the amount that Hannah's pro bono legal team from Keidan Harrison used to defend the case.

Miss Robinson told the BBC she feels like "a massive weight has lifted" after being under constant stress and worry over the repeated contact from Excel.

She added: "I feel happy that they [Excel Parking] are getting a taste of what it felt like for me."

It all stemmed from June 2021, when Ms Robinson began parking at the Feethams Leisure car park in Darlington for her job in the restaurant below.

After receiving a few fines, Ms Robinson said she paid them as she was new to driving and felt the pressure to do so, but she continued to use the car park as it was the safest option being a woman on her own at night.

She began appealing at the end of 2022, but claimed Excel reportedly ignored her attempts at communication, and then in February 2024, a letter demanded her to pay 67 unpaid charges.

Each one was £100, plus a £70 debt collection fee, totaling £11,390.

Her nan, Adrienne Atkin, said Hannah at times just stayed in her bedroom and she was "on edge" when her phone rang, concerned it would be Excel.

Miss Robinson then received a court claim asking her to pay two of the PCNs with debt collection, and various other costs. Excel Parking later applied to amend this so they could pursue 11 different PCNs.

But District Judge Janine Richards dismissed this application at a hearing on March 26, and also dismissed the original claim, finding Excel's conduct "both unreasonable and out of the norm".

Hannah was represented by solicitors Luke Harrison and Anya Prasad.

The Express has approached Excel Parking Services Ltd for comment.