* YOU BEEN SNAP * The £10m clamping king: Extraordinary boast of man who charges up to £500 to get cars released"

*MKILETEWA HAPA  NA FLORA LYIMO DESIGNER*

'I've made £10m': Clamping boss Walton Wilkins"

A notorious car clamping boss has boasted he has made £10million impounding cars and charging up to £500 a time to release them.
Walton Wilkins bragged that when the Government bans the practice he won't mind because he will be 'rich and happy in his heart'.
The 46-year-old has been taken to court and ordered to hand back the extortionate sums his firm charges to release vehicles three times.
Dozens of car owners have complained about the tactics used by Midway Parks based in Birmingham, West Midlands.
Mr Wilkins, 46, has bragged: 'I am on about £10million from clamping.
'The bill is coming through to ban it, so I've not really got any thoughts on it. I will be rich and happy in my heart, money doesn't make happiness.'
Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone announced plans to ban firms clamping cars on private land.
Speaking at the time, she said: 'So many people find themselves unwittingly clamped by rogue clampers, who then charge exorbitant fees.
'We've tried to make this work by licensing individuals, but companies who are responsible for the setting of fees and placement of signs have not responded.'
The largely unlicenced practice has sparked fury from drivers across the country within minutes of them parking - often without realising there are restrictions.
Mr Wilkins' tow trucks patrols private car parks across Birmingham - whisking away vehicles when their tickets expire - leaving drivers facing costly release fees.
Driver Steve Grant had to fork out £430 to get his vehicle back after his ticket expired in a city centre car park a week ago.

'Highway robbery': Walton Wilkins, 46, has bragged that he has made £10million from clamping"

The construction manager, 63, from Edgbaston, claims he was just seven minutes late returning to his Vauxhall Insignia, but it had been towed away.
'OK - rules were broken I held my hands up and was prepared to take the penalty,' he said. 

'But I was charged £430 to get it back. Of that £80 was for storing the car on Saturday and Sunday when the place wasn't even open to get it back.

Lynne Featherstone: Announced plans to ban clamping on private land last year"

'When I discovered what the fee for releasing my car was, I checked to see if the attendant was wearing a mask. Even Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask so you knew you were being robbed.'
When confronted, wealthy Mr Wilkins defended his firm's tactics and disputed Mr Grant's claims he was only seven minutes late.
'I don't see what the complaint is,' the clamper said.
'We don't open 24 hours. Is the council compound open 24 hours? No, it isn't.
'We are not doing anything which any other enforcement company doesn't do.'
He added: 'I've checked our records and the ticket expired at 10.08pm. We put the clamp on at 10.15pm and then lifted it at 10.35pm. He must have got back later than that, otherwise he would have seen the lads there.'
Emily Ritson, 18, sued after being ordered to pay £390 to release her clamped Ford Ka by Mr Wilkins' firm in April 2009.
She was left stranded 80 miles from her home in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, as the company refused to let her father pay by credit card. She won the money back in the small claims court.
Felix Cole, a Land Rover worker was also clamped by the firm and had his £445 'fine' and legal fees paid back to him.
Five years ago Robert Hayden also sued successfully.
Despite attempts to contact Mr Wil