A thug kicked a taxi's door and tried to punch its driver during an incident on Sunday night (July 30) at the Shell garage on Dorchester's London Road.
According to DorsetLive, as the taxi driver was leaving the forecourt at around 1am, he saw a man being "verbally abusive" towards women at the petrol station. The driver then told the man that he should leave.
But the offender then threw a water bottle at the taxi before attempting to punch the driver through the open car window.
He also kicked the car door causing damage to the vehicle.
Dorset Police are now investigating the incident of criminal damage. The force is asking anyone with information to come forward.
Police Constable Chloe Wellington, of Dorchester police, said: “During the incident, the driver’s door of the taxi was damaged. I have been making enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the incident, including looking at CCTV footage.
“In order to progress my investigation, I am appealing for any witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55230119231.
Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.
Source: https://www.dorset.live/news/dorset-news/thug-tried-punch-taxi-driver-8655783
Taxi drivers in Swindon will be instructed to take an online safeguarding training course as a condition of their licence.
According to the Swindon Advertiser, there are several hundred licensed hackney carriages and private hire drivers who will have six months in which to get certificated.
Swindon Borough Council’s head of regulatory services, Kate Bishop, told members of the authority’s licensing panel she was asking for its agreement to change the licensing policy.
She said: “The advice from government is that licensing authorities should provide guidance to drivers and require them to take training in safeguarding vulnerable people.
“At the moment this council has one page of guidance in the driver’s handbook – we feel we should now require drivers to do the training.”
Ms Bishop said the council required new drivers to undergo a £36 online course, with the training being valid for the length of their three-year licence.
If a driver renews a licence, they have to do the training again.
She added: “That leaves a cohort of about 800 to 900 drivers who haven’t been through the training.
“If the committee agrees we propose to require these drivers to take the training by the end of March 2024. And then all drivers will have to renew the training on renewal of their licence.”
One member Fay Howard asked whether Ms Bishop had seen or undergone the training, and she said both she and the licensing manager had, adding: “It raises awareness of the signs of someone being vulnerable, and give you the confidence to either address that or report it if you recognise the signs.
“It’s mostly what you might expect, but there’s specific part about child sexual exploitation.”
Chairman of the committee John Ballman said: “It works out at £12 per year, or 20p per week. It seems a very sensible investment in the drivers’ business.”
The committee also approved a change which would require a driver who is arrested or comes to the attention of the police for some reason, to report that to the council within 24 hours of release.
Councillor Junab Ali said: “Can we ask the police to inform us of this? If they don’t, and the driver doesn’t tell us, we could be facing a very serious incident.”
Cllr Ali was told it wasn’t possible to mandate the police to engage in activities which are the council’s responsibility and it would be possible that a driver doesn’t tell the police.
Ms Bishop said: “If we say drivers must tell us, and they don’t, then we can do something about it.”
Source: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23693833.taxi-drivers-swindon-ordered-safeguarding-course/
A thug who left a Birmingham taxi driver permanently blind after jamming her high heel into his face has been locked up for her 'frenzied' attack.
BirminghamLive reports that Georgia Nicholson ruptured Afaq Iftikhar's eyeball when she repeatedly hit him with her shoe after a drunken night out.
Members of the public were forced to intervene to bring her brutal assault to an end.
The 23-year-old, from Coleshill, previously walked free from court and was handed a suspended sentence.
But the Court of Appeal has now said she should have been jailed after ruling her punishment was too lenient.
The Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, said: "The victim has suffered life-altering injuries and lost his livelihood following the offender’s frenzied and unprovoked attack against someone who was just doing his job.
"The court has rightfully recognised the offender’s brutality in this case and by upgrading the original suspended sentence to jail time should serve as a warning to others that violence like this will not be tolerated."
Nicholson and her friends were being driven home by the victim, aged 34 at the time, after a night out on December 15, 2018.
The group had been drinking heavily, the Attorney General's Office said. The victim stopped the car as a passenger felt sick but he was then subjected to racial abuse before being violently attacked.
Nicholson, who was 18 at the time, repeatedly tried to hit the victim with her high heels before rupturing his eyeball.
The cabbie’s punctured eyeball was so badly damaged doctors could not save it despite a four-hour operation and he was left permanently blind in his right eye.
The defendant was handed a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
She was also made subject to a ten-day rehabilitation activity requirement on May 30.
Her case was then referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. Under the scheme, anyone can ask for a Crown Court sentence to be reviewed if they think it is too lenient.
The suspended sentence was quashed and her sentence increased to three years' imprisonment on August 4.
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/woman-blinded-taxi-driver-frenzied-27473477
Licensed taxi drivers in Stratford-upon-Avon are up in arms after a sudden influx of Uber drivers from Wolverhampton.
CovenrtyLive reports that fifteen private hire vehicles licensed by the City of Wolverhampton Council (CoW) were recorded in Stratford-upon-Avon in just one night.
A joint operation involving Stratford District Council’s (SDC) licensing team and the CoW's Compliance Department was undertaken after concerns were raised about the increase in Uber drivers during the summer months.
Of the Uber drivers stopped on Saturday, July 15, four were reported for re-inspection and two were given appropriate advice about breaching Wolverhampton's vehicle licence conditions.
Lorraine Grocott, SDC's environmental and neighbourhood services boss, said: "This partnership working with other licensing authorities shows our commitment to ensure drivers and vehicles that are licensed maintain the highest standards.
"It’s not illegal for vehicles licensed by other authorities to operate across our district. And although the district council doesn’t license any Ubers operating in the district, they operate as private hire vehicles which must be pre-booked via the vehicle’s operators with an agreed price. Failure to be pre-booked invalidates the driver’s insurance."
"Taxis are a vital service and are a huge support to the night-time economy," Cllr Grocott added.
"SDC’s standard of vehicle and driver is high. A robust system of licensing and checks keeps it at the standard required by this authority."
Cllr Craig Collingswood, CoW's environment and climate change chief, said: "We expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to always maintain the highest standards, irrespective of the administrative boundary within which they are operating at any particular time.
"City of Wolverhampton Council takes its enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public."
Source: https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/taxi-wars-rival-uber-drivers-27450852
Two people were taken to hospital after a brick was launched at their taxi from a bridge in Glenrothes.
According to The Courier, taxi drivers in the area say there is a growing problem with youths throwing rocks, bricks and sticks from bridges at their vehicles.
At about 12.30am on Sunday 6 August, a taxi carrying two passengers was targeted as it made its way along Kinglassie Road towards Glenrothes.
The brick smashed through the car window and left two people injured. A photo on social media shows one man covered in blood, with a cut to his head.
The injured couple were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Kirkcaldy Hospital.
It is understood the driver of the taxi, operated by Kirkcaldy Cabs, was uninjured.
Police have condemned the “reckless behaviour” and are investigating.
It is the latest in a number of similar incidents where missiles have been thrown from bridges in the area.
In July motorists were lucky to escape injury after wheelie bins were launched from a bridge spanning the same road.
A spokesperson for Glenrothes-based Raja Taxis told The Courier that someone would soon be seriously injured or even killed unless those responsible were stopped.
He said: “Only a couple of weeks ago one of our drivers reported having large blocks of wood hurled down at his car.
“There have also been obstacles left in the middle of the road trying to block vehicles.
“It’s absolute madness.”
The incident has been condemned as “entirely reckless” by police.
Sergeant David Leslie, of Glenrothes Police Station, said: “We were made aware of a brick thrown at a taxi on the B921 between Glenrothes and Kinglassie shortly after 12.25am.
“Two passengers, a man and a woman, were taken to hospital for treatment.
“This was an entirely reckless act which led to two people suffering injuries and could easily have led to more serious consequences.
“We are aware of similar incidents where items have been thrown at vehicles and inquiries are ongoing.
“We are also carrying out additional patrols in the area.”
Police are now appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or was in the area at the time to call 101, quoting incident reference 0108 August 6.
At least 14 cars have been damaged since June, with drivers suffering financial loss and emotional distress.
The attack happened at around 12.45pm on Etruria Vale Road, Stoke, when the victim, driving a Toyota Avensis, was punched in the face by one of the men.
Cumberland Council has taken decisive action to protect public safety by revoking the licence of a taxi driver charged last week with a serious racially aggravated offence.
A historic bridge has been closed indefinitely after an Uber car became wedged on Saturday morning.
A local councillor has sparked a debate on passenger safety after claiming that using locally licensed taxis is safer than hailing an Uber.
A taxi driver was attacked and subjected to racist abuse after two brothers refused to pay him up front.
Christopher Hilling, 64, admitted to engaging a child in sexual activity at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 8 August.
Abdigani Ebrahim, 38, of Grangetown, admitted charges of affray and criminal damage following the incident in Northcote Street, Roath, last July.
The crackdown targeted drivers operating across council boundaries to ensure public safety and compliance with regulations.
Lucio Valentino relies on his six-year-old Border Collie, Pixel, to help manage his mental health conditions, including depression and personality disorders.
Taxi drivers across the Fylde Coast are set to receive a briefing note aimed at clearing up confusion over out-of-area private hire vehicles.
Police are appealing to find a taxi driver who may have "vital clues" about the murder of Ryan Passey seven years ago since he was fatally stabbed in a Stourbridge nightclub.
A joint operation by Hull City Council, Wolverhampton Council, and Humberside Police has uncovered a number of safety issues with taxis operating in the city.
French taxi drivers are calling for government compensation after suffering significant revenue losses during the Paris Olympics.
Coventry city centre has introduced a new taxi marshal service aimed at improving safety and efficiency for late-night revellers.
A court heard harrowing details of the moment a drink-driving uninsured motorist killed three people in a 90mph crash.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was amongst the thousands who enjoyed the Battle Proms at Highclere Castle on 3 August.
Swindon residents could be facing a hike in taxi fares from October after councillors gave the green light to a £1 increase in the standard fare minimum charge.
Ricky Harold, a 20-year veteran of the town’s taxi trade, was parked in a lay-by when his vehicle was struck from behind by a black Audi A2.
Chinese automotive giant Geely has deepened its commitment to the UK electric vehicle market with a £120m cash injection into London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC).