A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a teenager who suffered fatal injuries in a taxi attack in Armley, Leeds.
LeedsLive reports that three suspects are believed to have carried out the attack near Hall Lane and Brentwood Terrace on the evening of March 31.
Police were called by the ambulance service at 5.29pm to reports that two men had been seriously injured.
Two boys, aged 18 and 16, were rushed to hospital with serious injuries. Sadly, 18-year-old Jamie Meah was pronounced dead a short time later.
The other victim's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
West Yorkshire Police have now launched a murder investigation.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Lee Townley of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team said: "Extensive enquiries are being carried out in relation to this murder investigation, our thoughts remain with the victim who has lost his life as a result of a violent attack on the streets of Leeds.
"We are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident.
“What we do know is that the two males were in a taxi at the time when they were attacked by three suspects in another vehicle.
"I would appeal urgently to anyone who was in the area last night, who may have dashcam footage, or CCTV or mobile phone footage of anything suspicious to come forward."
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 or use the live chat facility here, quoting log number 1331 of March 31.
Information can also be given anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Source: https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/man-dies-after-being-stabbed-26610455
A cabbie in Cornwall has spoken of his experiences convoying aid for the people of Ukraine over the last year.
Darren Tait, of Darren’s Cars in Callington, first decided to take action and deliver aid to Ukraine soon after the Russian invasion in February 2022.
He set up the group Cornwall and Devon Sending Love to Ukraine and has since sent 104 vans filled with a range of supplies from medical aid, to pet food, and sleeping bags, to nappies - and will continue to do so as long as it is needed.
Darren and his team only convoy the vans as far as Warsaw in Poland, where the aid is then taken across the border via Ukrainian charities.
Their next trip will be over Easter, when they will convoy 12 to 13 vans packed with donations from across Cornwall and Devon.
Speaking of his experiences so far, Darren told CornwallLive that it has been heart-breaking to hear stories from those affected by the war.
“It’s been stressful”, he said. “Some of the things we’ve seen, the people we’ve met and the stories we’ve heard have been heartbreaking.
"I remember during our first trip, we saw a coach arrive with around 40 to 50 women and children inside and there was just silence. Usually you would have expected to hear some chatting but no one said anything. It wasn’t long after the invasion, so they were all in shock.”
But Darren said the generosity and gratitude of the people in Poland has been ‘incredible’ and recalled one occasion when local people had laid on a buffet spread of food ready for their arrival – and then in the middle of it all a woman arrived with a pot of steaming hot stew.
He explained that they later learned the woman had been a bystander watching their convoys arrive. When she went to find out who they were and where they had come from, she had been so moved by the effort they had made that she went back home and immediately took the stew meant for her husband off the cooker and brought it to give to them because she was certain they must be feeling very hungry and exhausted.
During their most recent trip earlier this month, Darren and his team had a special concert arranged for them by the Chamber of Commerce for Warsaw.
“They wined and dined us and treated us really nicely. The amount of gratitude they all have for us is incredible,” Darren said.
However, Darren said that the work they do would not be possible without the support and donations from the local communities over the last year.
“I feel immense pride in the support and aid we’ve received from the people in Devon and Cornwall,” he said.
“We’ve even had people who have seen what we are doing and join us from places like Birmingham, Hertfordshire and places further afield. It just goes to show what a wonderful place we live in.”
The group has also helped bring around 60 Ukrainian refugees to England where they have joined families in Devon and Cornwall. While Darren said he is glad they could provide some help, he feels that the work they do will never be enough for the people who have lost everything as a result of the war.
“We’ve helped bring back around 60 Ukrainian refugees and we’ve had people approach us looking absolutely terrified because they’re putting total faith in us to get in our vans in the hope of being brought somewhere safe,” he explained. “It’s been surreal to hear all the stories we’ve heard.
“At one point, we thought we’d feel a sense of achievement from the work we are doing but we actually felt empty because we know that nothing we do will be enough given the situation.”
Their next convoy will depart on April 10 and in preparation, the group is still welcoming all donations. Darren said that items which are particularly needed for the refugee families are glasses, nappies, baby food, trauma kits, adult incontinence pads, generators, and cooking stoves.
“Something that’s been requested from the Ukrainian charities is to see if we can source glasses”, he explained. “Holsworthy Lions have already donated 600 pairs of glasses but we still need more.
“People are desperate for everything. We’ve sent out an ambulance, hospital equipment, incubators, 1000 zimmer frames, and wheelchairs which all go out to field hospitals.
“My daughter is deaf and she came with us on our last trip. Before we went, Derriford Hospital [in Plymouth] said they would provide a box of around 40 to 50 hearing aids all in good condition. Within a week of us taking them [to Poland], they were in the ears of the people who needed them.”
“If you could imagine leaving your home with just one bag, what would you need? Everything.
"The situation isn’t getting any better, so we’ll continue to accept donations and take them over and if anyone could offer a home or a bedroom to a refugee, it would help.”
Source: https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/callington-taxi-driver-speaks-experience-8307340
A private hire driver has been jailed for a brutal one-punch attack which left a pensioner with a brain bleed and life-changing injuries.
DorsetLive reports that Robert Leslie Hathway, 46, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on March 26 to be sentenced for inflicting grievous bodily harm.
On March 25, 2022, private hire driver Hathway was driving along Weymouth’s Newberry Road in a work van when he stopped by the side of the road to check directions. Fellow motorist Peter Walker drove by and gestured at Hathway, from Weymouth, angered by his van which was blocking the road.
Mr Walker, 76, tapped on Hathway’s vehicle through an open window, to indicate his frustration, and pulled over a short distance down the road, to check Hathway’s vehicle and potentially report him. The 76-year-old then noticed Hathway get out of the van and start running towards him.
Hathway approached Mr Walker’s car and punched him once in the face in what defence barrister Thomas Evans described as a moment of impulsive rage. This single punch, however, did serious damage to the elderly man sitting in the driver's seat.
Mr Walker was rushed to hospital with a laceration and bruising to his face, but after being discharged his family noticed him slurring his words and becoming confused.
The court heard, from prosecutor Tom Wright, who explained that the 76-year-old noticed a decline in his cognitive functions.
A CT scan revealed that Mr Walker had developed a bleed on his brain, which required drainage surgery in April to relieve the pressure.
“Regrettably,” Mr Wright said: “The long term consequences are likely to remain. The surgery left an indentation on his skull and it was noted there remained a 10% chance of more surgery being needed.”
A statement from Mr Walker, read out in court, said: “I spent a week in Dorset County Hospital after this incident, it frightened the life out of my daughters as I was getting less and less responsive.
“I was not responding to more and more things they told me. I was moved to Southampton Hospital due to a bleed on the brain which needed an operation. I lay in a semi conscious state and don’t remember the journey there.
“After returning home from my stay in hospital, my speech, handwriting, balance and confidence had been affected. My fitness has deteriorated.
"I’m not confident about being out and about on my own. I also struggle with remembering things like people’s names, the names of roads.”
Mr Wright added that the victim had lost his driver’s licence and much of his independence as a result of Hathway’s inability to control his anger.
Defending, Mr Evans admitted that while the incident was in no way self defence, there was an element of provocation by the 76-year-old, and said Hathway expressed “deep remorse” for what had happened, acknowledging that he caused it.
He said, attempting to sway the judge to suspend a prison sentence: “It was an extremely unfortunate incident, but it was a single blow with no use of a weapon. Him being imprisoned would effectively render his family homeless at a time when his daughter is approaching her GCSEs.”
Her Honour Judge Evans KC handed Hathway a 14-month prison sentence, and declined to suspend it. She said: “There is strong mitigation here and there would be a serious impact on the family.
“Regrettably, these factors are outweighed in my view and an appropriate punishment can only be achieved through immediate custody.
"Mr Walker was obviously an older man, you are a man some 30 years younger.
“When you physically attack an older person you take the risk of causing significant damage and that’s what you did with your single but significant punch.”
Source: https://www.dorset.live/news/dorset-news/single-punch-lands-weymouth-taxi-8304355
Fifteen out of 16 taxis that were stopped in a safety spot-check in Pendle failed to meet the required standards, a councillor has said.
LancsLive reports that the results were the worst-ever for this type of spot-check. Issues included oil leaks, which could have burst into flames, and missing wheel nuts, said Kieran McGladdery, chairman of Pendle Council’s Taxi Licensing Committee.
He highlighted the spot-checks and new plans to improve the checks but there is some disagreement in Pendle about the ideas, the level of consultation and the way forward.
Proposed taxi licensing changes include a new vehicle check-list and penalty system for firms or drivers who fail to comply. Also a new mobile phone app which ensures genuine vehicle checks are done.
Pendle Council has been looking at making changes to taxi checks and licensing enforcement for some time. Various committees have considered the issues and the taxi trade was consulted earlier this year.
The borough’s taxi committee recently drew-up a new safety check-list and proposed penalties for companies which operate taxi businesses and drivers. These were then considered by the more-senior Policy & Resources Committee in March.
Cllr McGladdery said he was alarmed at the taxi spot checks. He said: “The spot checks involved council officers, VOSA engineers and the police escorting taxis to a garage for safety checks. This resulted in 15 of 16 vehicles failing the basic standards and being pulled off the road immediately.
“Some of the failures I witnessed during the spot-check were five vehicles with major oil leaks. The VOSA engineers said these could imminently burst into flames.
"We also saw multiple vehicles with wheel nuts missing – the worst had four missing. One vehicle with the hand brake applied started rolling away.
"Elsewhere, we saw various bulbs were out amongst other safety-critical failures.”
The new taxi licensing proposals include a check-list of faults and breaches. The breaches include dishonest statements from drivers or taxi companies, along with penalties. These range from penalty points to the loss of licences.
A new app has also been suggested for drivers to use on phones. This would ensure drivers perform pre-shift safety checks by using GPS technology which detects movement and timings, and can also request photos.
Cllr McGladdery added: “Cllr Neil Butterworth has attended the taxi committee for 16 years and cites regularly the long record of poor results. The latest results are the worst on record.
"We have noted the impact of the covid pandemic on finances covering recent years. However, safety is a priority.
“The committee has tried hard this last 18-months to introduce voluntary policies and to steer the trade towards best practice, to turn results around.
"Multiple working groups, meetings with the taxi trade and test garages have all taken place. But putting action plans in place have yielded no improvements, because the actions were not carried out.
“We’re now at a situation where it’s hard for it to get worse. When 15 from 16 taxis fail a spot check, there’s little scope for further decline. A death or serious injury is now a certainty.”
He said some drivers or operators claimed they could not meet the suggested checks or blamed things like potholes for causing vehicle problems. He claimed: “This is a total red herring.”
A majority of Pendle councillors at the latest Policy & Resources meeting decided to get the task-and-finish group to discuss the issues around the vehicle safety standards with three representatives from the taxi trade and one councillor from each of the Conservative, Labour and Lib-Dem groups and council officers. But they also said the trade needs to bring forward concrete proposals on improving safety.
Regarding different political groups at Pendle, Cllr McGladdery claimed Labour and Lib-Dem councillors had, one way or another, opposed or not supported the new taxi ideas yet had no alternatives.
But the claims were rejected by the opposition groups.
Labour Cllr Asjad Mahmood said this week: “It doesn’t surprise me that while Cllr McGladdery publicly says one thing even his own party leader and colleagues publicly disagree with his proposals. Maybe that is why they supported my suggestion at the Policy & Resources committee to work with the taxi trade and agree a framework for safer taxis.
“It became clear at the meeting that the recent taxi committee which Cllr McGladdery had run for the last two years hadn’t held a single meeting with the trade representatives, which meant almost 80 per cent of the trade disagreed with his proposal.
"I look forward to working in a positive manner with everyone to improve safety. At the same time I’d suggest Cllr McGladdery consider his position with no support from his leadership.”
Lib-Dem Cllr David Whipp said: "At the Policy & Resources Committee meeting, it was the Conservative group leader who used his casting vote to defer action on taxis, after his group was split on the issue.
"Labour councillors did propose deferring action for further consultation, which some Conservative councillors then supported. My vote against this is recorded in the minutes.
"Frankly, Cllr McGladdery is twisting the truth beyond breaking point. It is his own group that has failed to get tough on taxi safety.”
Source: https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/worst-ever-taxis-spot-checks-26571183
A man who stabbed a taxi driver in Cambridge has been jailed for one year and eight months.
The Cambridge Independent reports that Uyi Orobor, 22, and an accomplice asked the driver for a ride after seeing him parked in Arbury Court, Cambridge, at about 8.15pm on 14 January last year.
They got in despite there already being a passenger inside.
The driver protested and got out but Orobor began kicking and punching the driver who fell to the ground.
As the victim was getting up to run away, Orobor pulled him back by his jumper and stabbed him once with a knife in the shoulder.
He managed to flee and called the police from a nearby fish and chip shop.
Orobor and the accomplice then ran off towards Arbury Road.
The victim attended hospital for treatment for his injury, which was not life threatening, while the passenger was uninjured and had fled before police arrival.
Orobor was arrested on February 11 last year following an unrelated incident, while efforts are ongoing to trace his accomplice.
On Thursday, 16 March, at Peterborough Crown Court, Orobor, from Oldham, was jailed for one year and eight months, having pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
DC Alex Galan-Tarachiu said: “This was a shocking attack on a taxi driver who was just going about his daily business.
“Orobor showed no respect for him and used a grossly disproportionate level of violence.”
A former paratrooper turned pet taxi driver is in the running for an Animal Star Award for his work in Wakefield and Pontefract.
Tariq Rehman, 75, from Stechford, had his licence removed by Solihull Council in November last year following a complaint from a passenger.
A taxi firm boss has branded the criminal justice system "broken" after new figures revealed almost a third of offenders in the town reoffended within a year.
Dramatic CCTV footage has captured the moment a hooded figure set a taxi alight on a residential driveway.
A Drongan taxi driver has been convicted of sexually assaulting a female passenger after offering to waive her fare in exchange for sex.
Artur Nowostawski has been jailed for six years and nine months after he attacked a taxi driver earlier this year.
Taxi drivers in the city are facing significant financial losses after a series of electric vehicle charging point failures left them unable to operate.
Police are appealing for help to trace a man who disappeared after getting into a taxi bound for the Otley area of Leeds.
The company’s operator licence includes a condition ordering all drivers to undergo the same training as those from other companies.
Police have stopped a private hire driver who was driving the wrong way on the M1 close to Junction 8 at Hemel Hempstead.
Newcastle City Council is set to introduce strict new measures to tackle illegal and inconsiderate parking near Newcastle International Airport.
West Mercia Police is appealing for information following a rape that took place in Malvern's Priory Park early on Sunday, August 4th.
Glasgow taxi users could be facing a near-10% fare increase and extended night-time charges.
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.