Two cabbies who became involved in a street disturbance outside their home have been spared imprisonment.

Muhammed Yasin, 65, and his son-in-law Mohammad Gulfam, 40, intervened to defend their property from an attack by three unidentified men.

The incident occurred on October 24, 2023, in Shelton. Prosecutor Robert Holt described how at least one of the assailants was armed.

"These two unwisely went out the house to engage with the three of them to defend the family home," Mr. Holt stated, acknowledging that the Crown accepted the actions as excessive self-defence.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to affray.

Representing Yasin, Paul Cliff emphasised his client's clean criminal record and expressed concern about the potential impact on his livelihood as a taxi driver.

Ben Stanley, representing Gulfam, highlighted that his client did not use the hockey stick, which was present during the altercation. Gulfam, also a taxi driver, supports his wife and three children.

Recorder Robert Smith, while acknowledging the defendants' misjudgment in confronting the assailants, emphasised that they did not initiate the disturbance.

"You were pushed to the ground by one of them," the Recorder stated, recognising that the defendants' actions were primarily driven by the need to protect their family and home.

"I do not consider either of you to be in any way violent," Recorder Smith continued. "It is telling that neither of you used the hockey stick as a weapon. You strike me both as decent, hard-working family men who made a mistake."

Both defendants were sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court and ordered to pay £300 in court costs.

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A taxi driver and his passenger have been imprisoned for drug trafficking after they were caught attempting to discard a substantial quantity of cocaine during a police stop on the Cleddau Bridge in Pembrokeshire.

Pajtim Meta (pictured right), 26, of Northampton, and Albert Nikolla, 26, of London, were accused of transporting cocaine between Northampton and Milford Haven.

Nikolla pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and being concerned in its supply, and during the trial, also admitted to a separate cocaine possession charge from 9 June 2023, in London.

Meta denied all charges but was found guilty of possession with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cocaine after a brief jury deliberation.

The prosecution, Caitlin Brazel, informed the court that Nikolla had been arrested in London on 9 June after officers observed him "slumped in the seat as if he didn't want to be seen."

A licence check revealed he was a "person of interest" to immigration authorities. A search of his vehicle yielded 37 wraps of cocaine, totaling 19 grammes, with an estimated street value of £1,110 to £1,850.

The court heard that on 18 January 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police conducted routine traffic checks in the vicinity of the Cleddau Bridge, leading to the stop of Meta's taxi. As Meta halted the vehicle, Nikolla fled from the back seat, discarding a bag for life. Inside the bag, officers discovered a 1,001-gramme block of cocaine, valued between £57,200 and £85,800 when sold in street deals. 

Meta initially claimed to police that he was merely a taxi driver, unfamiliar with his co-defendant and having never visited Pembrokeshire before. However, ANPR checks revealed nine previous trips from Northampton to Milford Haven by Meta's taxi.

Confronted with this evidence, Meta admitted to driving Nikolla on each occasion, acknowledging he had previously lied "because he was scared" of a lengthy prison sentence.

Nikolla was sentenced to a total of four years and three months for both sets of offences, while Meta was jailed for five years.

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Norwich City Council is asking for feedback by 16 March 2025 from the public and the transport sector on new proposals to regulate the taxi and private hire vehicle industry in the city.

The council is responsible for the licensing and enforcement of taxis (hackney carriages) and private hire vehicles in Norwich to ensure that drivers, owners and operators are fit to hold such licences.

The consultation considers how best to protect children and vulnerable adults when using taxi services, to the benefit of all members of the general public from the recommendations. It covers driver standards only, vehicle-related standards will be considered at a later date.

Some of the questions up for discussion as part of the consultation include:

• Whether in-vehicle CCTV should become mandatory?
• Should a geographical knowledge test be required?
• Banning of vaping in vehicles, as it is currently for tobacco products and e-cigarettes
• Introduction of mandatory card payment facilities

Councillor Matthew Packer, cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, said: “The consultation aims to bring existing regulations up to date with latest guidance from the Department for Transport, to ensure that all passengers have a safe and comfortable journey.”

To take part, visit Get Talking Norwich: https://gettalking.norwich.gov.uk/taxi

The consultation is open until 16 March 2025.

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Thousands of UK drivers are paying traffic fines that should never have been issued, with multiple London councils handing out £130 penalties without proper legal documentation.

New analysis has revealed widespread issues with traffic enforcement across the capital, with several boroughs issuing the penalties for offences such as driving in restricted bus lanes and yellow box junction violations, without valid Traffic Management Orders (TMOs) or camera certifications.

The AA has raised serious concerns about drivers being forced to spend time and money pursuing appeals when councils could have cancelled invalid fines after initial complaints.

"Dishing out fines for any restriction that has expired is outrageous," stated Luke Bosdet from the AA's motoring policy unit.

"While a handful of drivers have fought back against fines that shouldn't have been issued in the first place, thousands of drivers each year will have paid the half-rate within 14 days.

"How can it ever be acceptable that a council fines a motorist for an offence without legal basis and just has to cancel the demand for money?"

In recent weeks, tribunals have overturned fines issued by Lambeth, Croydon, Harrow, Redbridge, Greenwich, and the City of London due to missing or expired documentation. The AA believes this is just a fraction of the total number of illegal fines issued.

Statistics from London Councils show a significant number of successful appeals against traffic fines, with 56% of bus lane fine appeals and 35% of moving traffic offence appeals either successful or not contested. This translates to nearly 7,300 successful appeals across London.

However, the AA is concerned that many more drivers are simply paying the reduced early payment discount within 14 days rather than contesting potentially invalid fines.

"For each successful appeal, perhaps hundreds more" drivers pay the reduced fine, Bosdet suggested.

A DfT spokesman said: "Local authorities are responsible for local traffic measures and they should make sure penalties for the use of bus lanes are fair and proportionate.

"They must ensure their Traffic Management Orders are up to date, and we will be sharing proposals to modernise this process, making it more efficient for local authorities."

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An Uber driver, licensed by New Forest District Council, has been caught illegally offering his services in Reading. 

In the early hours of June 1 last year, licensing officers approached Muhammad Imran Bajwa in an undercover operation on Oxford Road in Reading. He agreed to take them to Tilehurst for a fare of £15, without the required pre-booking. 

Mr Bajwa was also not wearing his taxi driver's badge and had not attached the taxi licence plate to his car, making his vehicle look the same as any ordinary private car. 

Appearing at Reading Magistrates Court on 17 January 2025, Mr Bajwa, from Reading, pleaded guilty to illegally plying for hire, and operating without the correct insurance.

The court levied fines of £80 and £120 respectively, a reduced sum due to pleading guilty at the first hearing.

Two further fines of £40 each were ordered for failing to wear his licence badge and failing to exhibit his licence plate.

Prosecution costs of £176 and a victim surcharge of £112 will also be paid, bringing the full financial penalties to £568.

The court also endorsed Mr Bajwa’s driving licence with eight penalty points for using a motor vehicle without valid insurance.

Councillor John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport for Reading Borough Council, said: “This result highlights the tireless work of our licensing officers, conducting covert operations to detect illegal plying for hire in Reading and bringing those who fall foul of the law to prosecution.

"Unlicensed drivers undermining that trust will be robustly dealt with to maintain public confidence and ensure safety in our night time economy."

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