Click! Shortland Street star Ben Mitchell nabbed using disabled car park

Ben Mitchell and the fan's photo of his car parked in a space reserved for disabled shoppers.

A Shortland Street actor has been left red-faced after being snapped by a fan parking in a parking space reserved for disabled shoppers.

In his defence, he said there were plenty of other disabled parks available at the time.

Ben Mitchell, who plays doctor T.K. Samuels on the New Zealand soap opera, drove to the Countdown supermarket at Takapuna at 9am on Saturday. He pulled in to a disabled park near the door and went into the store.

A fan recognised him and saw him using the disabled park.

"Ben Mitchell left me very disappointed. I was shocked," the fan, who did not want his name published, told the Herald.

"As a person who is well known in the local community and throughout the nation, he should know better."

The fan took a picture of Mitchell's black Holden in the space.

Mitchell admitted the indiscretion in a statement sent to the Herald by South Pacific Pictures last night.

"I did park in a reserved park when I was in a hurry on Saturday morning," he said.

"Although there were plenty of empty disabled spaces available at the time, I absolutely acknowledge that there are many who are far more deserving of those parks than me. Not my finest moment."

Mitchell has a history of getting into trouble in his Holden, which he spoke about in an interview with the Herald in October 2013.

"It's powerful. And it looks good. It suits me," he said.

Soon after, Mitchell lost his licence because of excess demerit points. Then, in December he was caught driving while his licence was suspended and had six months added to his suspension.