Wrexham residents are being warned to be vigilant against unlicensed taxis operating during the festive season, as police and council officials launch a joint crackdown.

Concerns have been raised about drivers illegally picking up passengers after Christmas nights out, particularly around busy bars and clubs.

To combat this, Wrexham Council enforcement officers will be working alongside North Wales Police to conduct spot checks throughout the Christmas period.

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Public Protection, emphasised the dangers of using unlicensed taxis. "These drivers are not only uninsured but also unfairly compete with legitimate taxi operators," he said.

Sergeant Medwyn Williams of North Wales Police' Roads Crime Unit echoed these concerns. "We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable Christmas," he stated. "The safest way to get home after a night out is to pre-arrange a lift or book a licensed taxi."

Sergeant Williams warned against the risks of entering unlicensed vehicles. "You could be putting your safety at risk as you may not know who is driving or if the vehicle is safe," he cautioned.

He urged residents to always book taxis through reputable companies and to look for official taxi plates on vehicles.

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A Southwold taxi driver accused of assaulting an 80-year-old man has been found not guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court.   

Nikolaos Boutelis, 61, faced charges of causing actual bodily harm stemming from an incident on March 25, 2022, in Reydon.   

The prosecution alleged that Mr Boutelis, who was parked near a Premier Store, became involved in an argument with the pensioner after being criticised for parking near a junction and causing a hazard.

Following a verbal altercation, it was claimed that Mr Boutelis assaulted the elderly man, pushing him to the ground and continuing the attack.   

However, Mr Boutelis maintained his innocence, claiming that the pensioner struck him through the open window of his taxi.

He further stated that the pensioner subsequently tripped and fell, denying any physical assault on the ground.

The court heard conflicting accounts of the incident, with the prosecution suggesting injuries sustained by Mr Boutelis were a result of the struggle following the alleged assault.

Mr. Boutelis, however, attributed the injuries to a punch from the pensioner.

During his testimony, Mr. Boutelis explained that he "hit the roof" after being punched and that he only pushed the pensioner away with his taxi door while exiting the vehicle.

He consistently denied physically assaulting the elderly man insisting he simply shouted at him.

Following a brief deliberation, the jury returned a not guilty verdict, acquitting Mr Boutelis of all charges.

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A racist man who kicked a taxi driver and threatened him with an acid attack has been jailed for 12 months.

Calvin Elliott, 31, from Rainhill, verbally abused and assaulted Ahmed Shebaz after the driver asked him to leave his drinks outside the vehicle.

The incident occurred outside a McDonald's in Huyton in the early hours of August 12, 2023.

When Mr Shebaz asked the passengers to leave their drinks behind, Elliott became aggressive, making racist and Islamophobic remarks.

He continued to be aggressive towards Mr Shebaz, repeatedly bringing up his race and religion and shouting: "Why are you here? Why do you work here?" He then asked Mr Shebaz to stop the car, and when he did, he jumped out and began to kick the driver's door.

At Liverpool Crown Court on 18 December, prosecutor Nick Cockerell said: "After two or three kicks to the door, he opened the door and repeatedly kicked Mr Shebaz to his right thigh. 

"Mr Shebaz was able to shut and lock the door. The defendant then began to pull at the windscreen wipers on the vehicle.

Following the attack, Elliott called Britannia Taxis, the driver's employer, and launched a racist tirade, threatening to throw acid and vowing to "peel his face off."

He also made threats against the taxi company itself saying: "I'll set fire to the place, watch."

Elliot, who has five previous convictions for six offences, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault and three counts of sending malicious communications intending to cause distress.

He was sentenced to three months in prison for racially aggravated assault and nine months for the malicious communications offences, bringing his total sentence to 12 months.

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Detectives have arrested another man on suspicion of the murder of a Nottingham cabbie who was killed in his cab in 1994.

Ethsham Ul-Haq Ghafoor, 26, known to his friends and family as Shami, was shot dead in his taxi on Tuesday 22 November 1994.

He was found by a milkman at 4.30am at Lambley Lane Playing Fields in Gedling with his hands tied and bound to the steering wheel.

He had been shot in what has been described by police as “an execution.”

Shami was described by his family as "an outgoing, charming and kind man". Already the father of a five-year-old son, he was killed just five months before his baby daughter was born.

Crimestoppers, a charity which is independent of the police, has supported this investigation by offering a reward of up to £50,000 for information that they exclusively receive that leads to a conviction.

On the morning of Wednesday, 27 November, five people were arrested on suspicion of murder in the Sneinton and Bakersfield area.

They were four men, aged 64, 57, 52, 51 and one woman aged 47.

They have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

On Tuesday, 17 December, a man, 43, from the Sneinton area, has also been arrested on suspicion of murder. 

He has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Detective Chief Inspector Clare Dean, who is leading the investigation, said: “The investigation is continuing at pace and we would like to personally thank the local community for coming forward with information and the media for sharing our appeal.

“So far, we have arrested six people on suspicion of Shami’s murder.

“We believe the answer to Shami’s murder still lies within the community and would encourage anyone with information who has not already been in touch to please come forward.

“Shami’s family are desperate for answers and you could be sitting on a key piece of information in this investigation. 

“Crimestoppers is offering up to £50,000 reward as an extra incentive. This is a huge reward for information that leads to conviction.

Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or call 101 quoting incident number 0300 of the 15th November 2024.

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Proposed changes to taxi licensing rules in North Yorkshire are facing opposition from drivers who fear they will be forced out of the industry and replaced by unregulated Uber drivers.

North Yorkshire Council is revising its hackney carriage policies to increase the availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) and comply with equality legislation.

The council is drafting a new licensing policy and developing an inclusive service plan, as recommended by the Department for Transport.

A key proposal in the draft plan is to restrict new taxi registrations to WAVs, electric vehicles, or potentially hybrid vehicles.

Ian Lawson, chair of the North Yorkshire Disability Forum's Accessible Transport Group, urged the council to take stronger action to increase the number of WAVs on the roads, acknowledging the limited success of previous efforts.

However, Ripon-based taxi driver Richard Fieldman, representing around 100 drivers, warned that these restrictions could significantly impact the industry. He stated that many drivers would leave the trade if forced to purchase expensive WAVs, leading to a decrease in available WAVs.

Fieldman criticised the council for making taxi drivers "scapegoats" for past policy failures and expressed concerns about the growing presence of Uber drivers in North Yorkshire using unscrupulous practices to get trade.

He said: “They have a distinct advantage over us regarding licensing conditions and we must be able to have equal choice of vehicle over them.”

The meeting also heard from Selby taxi driver Graham Watson, who said he had driven 260,000 miles in four years in his WAV.

He said: “In the four years I have had my WAV, I have only ever carried six wheelchairs.

"I advertise that I am wheelchair friendly, I advertise on local radio, I advertise in local magazines and amateur dramatics programmes.”

Taxi drivers have urged the council to consider a more flexible approach, such as adopting the City of York Council's policy allowing taxis with low-emission Euro 6 engines.

Councillor Gareth Dadd, deputy leader of the authority, acknowledged the complexities of the issue and emphasised the importance of a thorough and open consultation process to explore all possible solutions.

A 12-week public consultation is scheduled to begin in the new year.

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