Witness 'distraught' by Birmingham clampers

The victim of an unlicensed car clamping company in Birmingham has said she had to sell her car after the incident because her four-year-old daughter was so traumatised by what happened.

Ellen Henning was clamped during a Christmas shopping trip with her brother and daughter in Birmingham city centre.

When she told one of the clampers that he had ruined her Christmas, he replied "you've made mine."

Andrew Baker, the owner of Inter Park UK, was jailed for two years on Wednesday after admitting to a charge of conspiring with others to make unwarranted demands from motorists.

Ms Hennin was charged £365 to release her car, which had been parked in a pay and display car park on New Canal Street in the city.

She bought a ticket to stay for an hour in the car park, but despite returning in plenty of time, found men preparing to tow her car away.

When she asked why her car was being taken, she was told it had been parked incorrectly because it was over a white line.

She said: "My four-year-old daughter had become very upset and was distraught, she was crying and becoming hysterical.

"We actually had to sell our car because my daughter kept remembering the incident."

She added she was "utterly distraught" and "felt like never going to Birmingham City Centre again".

"It was even worse for my daughter to have to go through this experience."