A man grabbed and punched a Carlisle taxi driver after being arrested and bailed several weeks earlier for spitting in the faces of two police officers.
The News & Star reports that police were initially called out in May in response to reports that Elijah Ali, 33, was drunk and being confrontational.
Prosecutor Steven Ball told Carlisle Crown Court: “The defendant was extremely aggressive with the officers, resisting them, lashing out, threatening to knock him out and bite them.”
Ali spat directly into the face of one male PC and was restrained and placed in a spit hood. But when this was removed, he then spat at a female PC.
Having been bailed, Ali got into more trouble on June 27 as he got into a taxi at Carlisle’s Court Square. Ali appeared intoxicated, causing the taxi driver concern.
“He (Ali) grabbed him around the throat and punched him in the stomach,” said Mr Ball.
As police were called, Ali, of no fixed address, tried to bite one officer.
He admitted four separate assaults and was sentenced at the crown court.
Defence solicitor Mark Shepherd suggested Ali’s behaviour masked more serious issues he was trying to deal with.
“What he requires is some intensive support,” said Mr Shepherd. “He understands why he is here. He understands it is his fault.”
Recorder Kate Bex KC jailed Ali for a total of five months and called his conduct on the first date — captured on police body-cam — 'utterly shameful'.
A man illegally working as a Liverpool private hire driver has been fined and banned from driving following an investigation by Liverpool City Council’s Taxi Licensing team.
According to the Liverpool Express, on 6 July, Mruan Elkehya pleaded guilty to ten charges including acting as a private hire driver, driving without insurance and plying for hire without a licence.
He received 24 penalty points on his DVLA licence and was disqualified for driving for 12 months. In addition, he was also fined £440, has to pay costs of £325 and a surcharge of £176.
The successful prosecution follows a two-month investigation which saw the city council’s Licensing Enforcement Officers observe Mr Elkehya plying for trade illegally on five different occasions.
Officers were initially alerted to the actions of the driver after he was stopped on Saturday 4 February 2023 and produced an out-of-date driver’s badge.
In the weeks running up to Wednesday 8 March, he was stopped four more times when he was witnessed dropping people off in the city centre and displaying magnetic taxi door signs for companies he didn’t work for, and even on one occasion had two Liverpool City Council magnetic signs on display.
Although previously a Liverpool private hire licence holder, and despite giving assurances that he was in the process of renewing his licence, this did not happen and Mr Elkehya was cautioned for the offences by the city council team and then by Merseyside Police.
The case was heard at Liverpool Magistrates Court.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for taxi licensing, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “These rogue drivers not only jeopardise the wellbeing of unsuspecting passengers but also undermine the credibility of legitimate taxi services.
"By operating without the necessary licences and insurance, they create a hazardous environment on our roads, leaving innocent lives at risk.
“The severity of this ban, penalty points and fine sends out a strong message that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and our proactive team will do everything they can to keep people like this off our streets.
“I’d like to congratulate the team for their work in making sure every journey is a safe and secure, provided by licensed, responsible and trustworthy drivers.”
Source: https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/fake-taxi-driver-caught-out-by-liverpool-city-council/
People are being invited to have their say on proposed changes to the licensing of taxi and private hire vehicles across Lewes district.
The consultation, which was launched on Monday, July 31, is in response to feedback from customers and those working within the trade.
After completing the survey at lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/LDCtaxiconsultation people can also express an interest in taking part in a focus-group session about the proposals.
Councillor Christine Robinson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, said: "Lewes district taxis and private hire are closely monitored and we regularly update our guidance for the trade, ensuring that customer, driver and vehicle safety is always the number one priority.
"We would like to hear people's views on these proposed changes as part of our ongoing efforts to further strengthen taxi licensing for the benefit of customers, drivers and operators."
Proposed changes to the guidance include:
The consultation runs until 5pm on Sunday, September 10.
A West Belfast taxi driver who caused a female passenger to sexually touch him in his car has been handed a three-year probation order.
BelfastLive reports that James Haughey, 54, from Dunmurry, had previously pleaded guilty to a single charge of causing a person to engage in a sexual act without her consent.
Belfast Crown Court heard that in the early hours of Easter Monday, April 22, 2019, the defendant was working as a taxi driver and was parked at Finaghy Road crossroads in Dunmurry.
He was flagged down by the victim and her then boyfriend who asked him to take them to the Grosvenor Road.
When they arrived at a flat, the rear-seated passengers realised they didn't have enough money for the fare and the male went into the flat saying: "I will get more money.''
The victim got into the front seat of the taxi and told the driver about problems she was having with her boyfriend. She was under the influence of cocaine and prescribed medication at the time.
A plea document stated: "The boyfriend did not come back to the taxi and the accused drove to a side street a short distance away believing that the complainant wished him to do so.
"It is accepted by the defendant that she did not wish him to do so and it is accepted by the prosecution that his belief was reasonable.''
The defendant put his hand under dress and rubbed her leg towards her groin area."He believed that she consented to this touching and the prosecution accept that his belief may have been reasonable in the circumstances.''
The defendant then got her to touch him sexually but he now "accepts by his plea of guilty that she did not consent to this and it was not reasonable for him to believe that she did''.
He then drove his taxi back to her boyfriend's flat and gave her his business card.
The court heard the father-of-five had since separated from his partner over the incident. Haughey, who had been a taxi driver for 20 years, had also lost his job.
In a handwritten victim impact statement, the injured party stated she has struggled with mental health since the incident, felt "extremely guilty'' and started to "obsess and worry about seeing this man again and is still fearful of getting into a taxi alone''.
She said she had distanced herself from family and friends, including her children, and she has had to endure "four years of constant torture and I have been unable to put this matter behind me and move on with my life.''
Describing the statement as both "poignant and moving'', Judge Paul Ramsey KC said he hoped "the matter could be put to an end after imposing my sentence and hopefully she will get closure in respect of this incident''.
Defence counsel Eilis McDermott KC said: "The defendant is to engage with his GP and to engage in any treatment or counselling that the GP may recommend and he is certainly willing to do that.
"He is also willing to engage with voluntary agencies such as Extern and NIACRO.''
Haughey was placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
Source: https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfast-taxi-driver-who-caused-27442764
Dear Licensing Service
Re: Proposed increase in Hackney carriage & Private Hire Licensing Fees.
We are in the strongest possible terms writing to object to the proposed fee increases for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire drivers, vehicles and operators.
We note that the proposals range anywhere between a 10% increase and a 58.8% increase.
This is outrageous. For example, the increase for a transfer of a vehicle licence may at first glance look like a moderate increase of £20.15 when in fact it is an actual increase of 49.3%.
This at a time when the country is in a cost of living crisis. Income for taxi and private hire drivers has fallen dramatically in recent years firstly due to the pandemic and now due to the cost of living crisis.
Your proposals far outstrip the current costs of inflation. Taxi & Private hire, drivers & proprietors are already facing hardship and now your proposals may finally be the “nail in the coffin” for many who are already struggling to maintain their businesses.
We have seen no financial information from the licensing service which either supports or justifies such massive increases especially considering the reductions in service received by the trade from the licensingdepartment.
You have reduced staffing costs by having less officers, there has been a significant reduction in enforcement particularly late night enforcement.
There are ever increasing waiting times for applications to be processed and when complaints have been made drivers & proprietors have been met with rudeness and scorn. Many staff are now working at home thereby reducing accommodation costs for the service etc.
This would suggest a reduction in fees should be forthcoming not an increase!
It has long been enshrined in both legislation and case law that a licensing authority can only cover the costs of administration of the licensing regime. It cannot make a profit from doing so. Should a profit inadvertently be made, them it must be offset against future fees.
I am aware of and have evidence that Kirklees Licensing Service have year on year made profits which appear to have simply “disappeared into general council coffers”. This is totally unlawful and unacceptable.
The current and proposed operator fees appear to be nothing more than an income generating scheme for the council. We believe Kirklees council is acting unlawfully in this manner.
Akooji Badat (Yakub), Chairman.
North K.M.C.Private Hire/Hackney taxi drivers Rep.
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).