Excel civil enforcement

[JRW120463]

is It legal for a civil enforcement officer to clamp my partners car over a parking fine which I actually incurred on a trip to Brighton ! I informed Brighton council that I was the driver and they weren’t interested and neither were civil enforcement , they both said that they go for the registered keeper even though it had nothing to do with her ! It ended up with her having to pay £397.00 to get the clamp off ! I am thinking of going to the small claims court to try to get her money back and wondered where I stood ? Thanks in advance