A compassionate driver who was clamped as he stopped to comfort a crying mother says he feels “let down by the system”, after it took a five-month legal battle to overturn his fine of almost �1,000.

Electrician Eddison West, of Forest Gate, was awarded �1,263, including interest and costs, by an Ilford County Court judge after he was “insulted and robbed” by vehicle immobilisers from firm Securak who fined him �997 in September, he claims.

The incident occurred in the car park of New World American Pool and Snooker Club, in Opal Mews, Ilford when Mr West noticed a woman with two children crying after she had been clamped.

He said: “I was there to help. I was just turning around, I wasn’t even in a parking position when I was clamped.

“The guy told me he was going to cause me the maximum inconvenience, but I kept calm.

“I had to go to the police station five times before I got my statement. I thought these people were on my side. I was trying to help someone and it cost me all this money. This man robbed me and the police told me it was a civil matter.”

The Recorder previously spoke to Mr West shortly after he was clamped, when Securak director Kevin Stokes claimed the company were clamping up to 10 cars in Opal Mews each day.

Since then, Securak have relaxed their presence on the site following six disgruntled drivers filing court cases against the company in the past month.

Mr Stokes said: “We are trying to clean up the act of the company. We are bringing in a ticketing system, which is a lot less confrontational and aggressive.

“That site was getting too much for us, people were trying to attack my officers all the time. We still patrol it, but just not as much. I’m sick to death of the grief that comes with clamping.”

Mr West is yet to receive his compensation, though the Securak boss stated he would be looking to deal with a number of settlements in the near future.