A Bradford taxi driver has been sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, after causing the death of a headteacher in a road traffic collision.

Fiaz Hussain, 60, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving following the incident on Barkerend Road in June 2022.

The court heard that Hussain was attempting to turn right at a junction when he collided with 61-year-old Jeremy Richardson, who was cycling to work at about 6.30am.

Hussain later said that he had not been able to see the cyclist coming downhill towards him because he was “blinded by the sun”.

Prosecutor James Lake submitted that the safest option would have been to stop or proceed with extreme caution due to the low sun, but Hussain did neither.

Mr Richardson crashed into the side of Hussain’s Mercedes Vito vehicle and suffered injuries from which he later died in hospital.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Monday 4 November, that Hussain stopped at the scene and called an ambulance as other members of the public performed CPR on the injured cyclist.

Victim impact statements from Mr Richardson’s family highlighted the devastating impact of his loss.

The court heard that Mr Richardson was a "highly respected" headteacher and keen cyclist.

In mitigation, Hussain’s defence counsel said it had been “a tragic failure” to see the approaching cyclist.

He said his client, who is married with two children, had worked as a taxi driver since 1990 with an impeccable driving record, but had now lost his employment.

Sentencing Hussain Judge Jonathan Gibson accepted he had shown remorse for his offending and said after balancing all the submissions put forward, he had concluded that a six-month prison sentence could be suspended for 12 months.

In addition to the suspended sentence, Hussain was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and attend rehabilitation activity days.

He was also disqualified from driving for a year.

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet about it

A Northfleet taxi driver has been banned from driving after refusing a roadside drug test and blood test.

Rashpal Channa, 45, claimed he couldn't complete the drug test due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and couldn't provide a blood sample due to a needle phobia.

He was stopped by police in Medway on July 31, 2022, and suspected of driving under the influence of cannabis.

Despite denying the charges, Channa was found guilty at trial in August 2023.

At his sentencing hearing on October 24, he was fined £300 and banned from driving for 20 months.

This is not Channa's first brush with the law. In January 2022, he was convicted of criminal damage after smashing the window of another taxi driver's car during a dispute over fares.

The court heard that Channa had previously managed to get an interim driving ban lifted, despite facing a lengthy disqualification. His solicitor argued that he relied on his car for transportation due to health issues.

However, the magistrates imposed the driving ban and additional penalties, emphasising the seriousness of his actions and the need to protect public safety.

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet about it

A 26-year-old man has been charged with a series of offences following a taxi robbery in Derby.

Derbyshire Police responded to a report of a taxi driver being threatened in Hartington Street, off Normanton Road, on Monday, 28 October, at 12:20am.

The suspect allegedly forced the driver out of the vehicle and drove off.

Leonard David, from Derby, was arrested at 1.40am and subsequently charged with:

• Robbery
• Kidnap
• Assault
• Dangerous driving
• Possession of Class B drugs (cannabis and amphetamine)
• Driving without insurance
• Driving without a licence
• Possession of an offensive weapon

David appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on 29 October, and was remanded into custody.

The stolen taxi was later recovered abandoned in Thorntree Lane.

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet about it

Slight adjustments to taxi fares in North Ayrshire have been approved by the local council's licensing committee.

The new fare structure, which will primarily affect festive rates, will be shared with taxi operators and trade organisations.

Operators will have a two-week period to appeal the decision to the Traffic Commissioner. If not, the details will then be published in a local newspaper.

Eleanor Collier, chair of the licensing committee, explained that the changes aim to balance the needs of both passengers and drivers.

"The proposed tariffs are largely unchanged and benefit the trade in not having to recalibrate their meters, which is good news for taxi operators, particularly those on Arran," she said.

"We've also listened to their concerns about festive rates and made some minor adjustments."

Key changes to the fare structure include:

• Normal Rate (Tariff 1):
  • Initial charge: £3.50 for the first three quarters of a mile
  • Subsequent miles: £2.30 per mile
  • Waiting time: £3.50 for 10 minutes, then 10p per 20 seconds
• Peak Rate (Tariff 2):
  • Initial charge: £4.00 for the first three quarters of a mile
  • Subsequent miles: £3.00 per mile
  • Waiting time: £4.00 for 19 minutes, then 10p per 20 seconds
  • Applies between midnight and 7am, on Sundays, and on public holidays.
• Festive Rate (Tariff 3):
  • Double the normal rate (Tariff 1) from December 25th to 26th (7am onwards) and January 1st to 2nd.

The other knock-on change is that within tariff two, instead of ‘on December 26 or January 2', it will now read: “From 7am until 12pm (midnight) on December 26 and January 2.”

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet about it

Thistle Cabs Group is offering free weekly travel to seniors aged 70 and over in South and East Ayrshire.

The initiative, which runs from 9:30am to 1:30pm every Wednesday in November and December, aims to help elderly residents stay mobile and connected during the winter months.

A spokesperson for Thistle Cabs said, “We understand that winter can be challenging, especially for our senior citizens.

"By providing free transportation, we hope to make their lives a little easier and brighten their winter.”

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet about it