A FORMER police officer who got a parking ticket after he went to the aid of an exchange student who had been racially abused is facing a £422 fine.

German youngster Henrik Bauer was staying with Peter Robdrup and wife Elena in Clacton when he was abused in the town centre by a man shouting the Nazi greeting “Sieg heil”.

Mr Robdrup, 59, reported it to the police. Days later, Henrik phoned the couple because he was terrified he was being followed by the same man.

Overseas students had been told to go to McDonald’s if there was trouble following a spate of race hate incidents at the time.

“I shot up to the town centre in the car,” said retired officer Peter, who had an exemplary record after 30 years of service. "Parking is ridiculous and I couldn’t stop in the road, so I spun around by Barclays and then saw the loading bay in Colne Road was empty.”

He quickly parked and went to find Henrik, who was unhurt. When he got back to the car a warden was giving him a ticket.

Peter was fined £70 for the incident two yars ago, which would have been cut to £35 if he paid within 14 days.

He lodged an appeal against the ticket with the North Essex Parking Partnership, but lost. He now faces a demand for £422 and has been visited by bailiffs.

Peter wants the right to argue his case against parking enforcers in court.

"For 30 years I upheld the law. I can’t believe I did my civic duty to prevent this lad from being hurt and now I have this parking fine hanging over me. They need to have some common sense,” he said.

A North Essex Parking Partnership spokeswoman said: “Since the PCN was issued to Mr Robdrup on July 23, 2013, he has been advised of the process for challenging PCNs and informed he needs to provide us with evidence to support his claim.

“So far, no evidence has been provided, therefore the matter has been passed to the bailiffs to recover the debt.”