A taxi-driving EncroChat dealer who volunteered with veterans with addiction issues flooded Merseyside with multi-kilos of class A drugs.
The Liverpool Echo reports that James Wilson admitted he saw the hypocrisy between his "exemplary" life as a hackney driver, charity volunteer and his illicit secret life as a "leading" role in the region's drug supply chain.
But that didn't stop the 37-year-old, from Broadgreen, Liverpool, from sourcing, brokering and supplying multi-kilos of class A and B drugs under the EncroChat name "DireFortress".
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday, January 26 that Wilson's criminality was uncovered following the notable EncroChat hack that gave European law enforcement agencies and UK authorities access to encrypted messages and images.
Upon receipt of the messages, the police undertook the task of linking the encrypted handles to individuals - and in the case of Wilson, he was identified as the user of the handle "DireFortress".
Stella Hayden, prosecuting, told the court that during the course of communications with other users the defendant made reference to his children's names and the fact he drove a hackney carriage, as well as sending images from the back garden of his house.
The court heard Wilson was in communication with 22 other EncroChat handles between January 2019 and June 2020 - but Ms Hayden said the crown believed the data showed the defendant had been engaged in the supply of drugs for a significantly longer period.
Ms Hayden told the court about multiple messages which evidenced the conspiracy to supply cocaine.
On April 13 2020, the defendant contacted the handle "NuttyBoom" to arrange to purchase 2kgs of cocaine, indicating that it was for "swill", which means it would be converted to crack cocaine. The following day arrangements were made for collection.
In a conversation on April 30 2020, the defendant discussed with "SpookyOwl" the "breakdown" of the 4kgs of cocaine they had recently supplied. "SpookyOwl" confirmed that 1kg was split three ways and the other three kgs were sold for £39,000 each.
Ms Hayden added the defendant kept a running tally of bills owed and cocaine sourced and supplied. By way of example, under the title "Timmy Bill" dated May 6 2019, the defendant recorded entries totalling 23kgs of cocaine. On the same date, under the title "Gym Bill", the defendant recorded entries totalling 18kgs.
During the same time period EncroChat messages showed Wilson arranging to buy heroin from "RoyalCleaner" - and notes referencing a tally of his bills.
He also bought and supplied large quantities of class B drug cannabis.
Ms Hayden said that following the EncroChat hack, Wilson continued to sell Class A drugs.
When his house was raided by police on September 14 2023, a Google Pixel phone and a notebook were seized. Ms Hayden said: "Messages present on the device showed continued involvement in the wholesale supply of cocaine. There are repeated references to “tops” and also significant qualities of cash.
"Within the notebook seized there is a monthly breakdown of cocaine supplied. It is evident that in the period July to September 2023 the defendant supplied a total of 39kgs of cocaine."
Ms Hayden said the defendant had a close working partnership with "LousyGold". There was talk between the pair of not just importing drugs, but of recruiting another member into their criminal enterprise.
The defendant was interviewed on the day of his arrest and answered "no comment" to all questions asked.
Ms Hayden said the prosecution submitted the defendant played a "leading role" in the sourcing and supplying of drugs.
On occasions he also acted as a "broker" to facilitate transactions, and on others he collected and distributed the drugs himself, using his hackney carriage to "travel legitimately in the lockdown period".
In total, the prosecution and defence agreed that he had been involved in the supply of 122.5kgs of cocaine and diamorphine (heroin), as well as a large quantity of cannabis.
The defendant indicated guilty pleas in the magistrates' court and pleaded guilty at his plea and trial preparation hearing on November 13 last year.
In his sentencing comments, His Honour Judge David Aubrey KC told Wilson: "You believed you were secure with your EncroChat phone...but it proved to be your downfall."
The judge said the dad-of-two's role in supplying drugs in Merseyside had fuelled a world of "desperation, misery and devastation".
He added Wilson was a "major player" in the "lucrative business" of drug supply and had a "complete disregard for the wellbeing of others".
Judge Aubrey awarded the defendant one third credit for his guilty pleas. He sentenced Wilson, who appeared in court via video link from HMP Altcourse, to 14 years, eight months in prison.
Wilson will appear back before the courts later this year for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.
Source: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/known-charitable-taxi-driver-others-28519754
A taxi driver ran into a woman as she crossed a road at Skipton Bus Station, breaking one of her legs and bones in a foot, magistrates heard.
The Craven Herald reports that Haq Nawaz had picked up some customers and was turning in the entrance to the bus station at around 10pm on May 7 last year when he drove into the woman and over her foot, Skipton Magistrates heard on Friday 26 January.
Prosecuting, Mel Ibbotson told the court how the woman had described feeling an impact on the back of her knee and screaming at the driver of the taxi to stop.
She and her husband had been in the Fleece Pub in Keighley Road and were on their way to a restaurant when she was hit by Nawaz's taxi.
Nawaz got out of his vehicle, a BMW 3 series, and told the woman that he had not seen her, said Ms Ibbotson.
The woman recalled her husband shouting and swearing and thinking she could not walk. After 45 minutes, an ambulance arrived and she was taken to hospital.
An X-ray confirmed she had a broken tibia in one of her legs, and broken bones in a foot. She spent four weeks with her leg in plaster and suffered bumps and bruises.
In an interview with police, Nawaz fully accepted what he had done, and explained he had just picked up a fare in Keighley Road and was turning in the entrance to the bus station, a road he knew very well.
Nawaz, 52, a man of previous good character, admitted causing serious injury by driving without due care and attention.
In mitigation, Julian White said the loss of losing his licence would have a significant impact on Nawaz who was married with two children.
He had been driving since 1987 and had been a taxi driver on an off for 30 years, and had always had a clean licence.
Mr White said Nawaz knew the couple, they were regular customers, and he had been to see them.
"He could not be more contrite. This was the definitive momentary lapse of concentration," said Mr White.
Probation officer Andrew Watson said Nawaz would learn from the incident and there was a question mark over whether he would get his taxi licence back once his driving ban was over.
Nawaz, from Keighley, was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours' unpaid work.
He was also banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £114.
Source: https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/24078254.taxi-driver-drove-womans-foot-crossed-road/
Taxi customers in the Ribble Valley could be looking at fare drops for a ride home after a night out.
According to the Lancashire Telegraph, councillors are set to debate a possible cut in the night-time rates for hackney carriages.
But at an annual meeting, taxi trade representatives expressed concerns over the fares to be levied after midnight or on special occasions such as Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, agreed in 2022.
Members of the borough's licensing committee have been told customers had raised gripes about the 50 per cent hike in prices on such occcasions.
Borough solicitor Stephen Barker said in a committee report that "they (drivers) considered that £6.75 for the first mile and £1.05 for each fifth of a mile thereafter was too high.
"These figures were calculated on the basis of the standard day rate plus an uplift of 50 per cent, which was the same formula as had applied from 2006 to 2022.
"The representatives requested consideration be given to reduction of the uplift, although they did not indicate what level of uplift they considered to be reasonable."
Licensing officials have gauged Ribble Valley's rates against other north-west authorities and found their pricing structures varied - though the likes of Rossendale, Lancaster and North Yorkshire have imposed similar 50 per cent uplifts.
Others who have lesser hikes tended to charge between 20 to 33 per cent more, said Mr Barker's report.
"The issue which has to be considered is the concern expressed by customers to hackney carriage drivers. The Hackney carriage representatives requested that the uplift be reviewed due to this customer concern," he added.
The committee will meet on Wednesday 31 January to debate any possible changes.
If new fares were agreed they would need to be advertised first to consider any possible objections.
A taxi has been damaged after a man punched its windscreen, police have said.
The Swindon Advertiser reports that the incident happened after the taxi driver dropped off a couple in Albion Street on Friday, January 12.
The drop-off happened between 10.45pm and 11pm, according to Wiltshire Police.
After leaving the vehicle a man started to punch the windscreen of the car, causing damage to it.
A police spokesperson said: "We are appealing for witnesses following reports of criminal damage in Albion Street, Swindon.
"If you saw what happened or can help with our enquiries please contact us on 101 quoting reference number 54240004456, or by using the contact form on our website."
Source: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/24075510.man-damages-swindon-taxi-punching-windscreen
Uber has confirmed it is planning to reapply for a licence to operate its on-demand car service in Aberdeen.
The global firm put the brakes on its last effort to operate in the Granite City in 2019, following controversy surrounding objections to the application.
But Uber has confirmed to STV News that there are “ongoing discussions with city officials” about applying for a new licence in Aberdeen.
The company’s spokesperson declined to give any more details while the licencing process is ongoing.
The last time the company applied to operate in the north east, it came under criticism from traditional taxi drivers, who argued it had an unfair advantage due to lower fares.
The news comes amid calls for a change to the street knowledge test for private hire and taxi licence holders in Aberdeen.
In a LinkedIn post, Aberdeen Inspired’s business engagement manager, Roulè Wood, said: “Aberdeen is one of a few places in Scotland which demands private hire car drivers pass the local ‘knowledge test’ rank taxi drivers have to pass before they can apply for a licence.
“The pass rate is under 20% and it takes on average 22 weeks (some say longer) for a new driver to get on the road.
“Our test hasn’t been updated for a good number of years.”
Aberdeen Inspired, which runs the city’s business improvement district and represents over 900 businesses, said: “For some time now, our levy payers have voiced consistent concerns regarding taxi provision, clearly echoed by wider public sentiment.
“It is obvious taxi provision is something that needs to change as part of the drive to help the city’s economic recovery – in terms of safety, vibrancy and the city’s reputation – and our levy payers asked us to explore this.
“In our talks with the taxi trade they agree and have stated they want to work towards viable solutions. That reflects on the trade’s hard work and dedication to passengers and the city, which is never in any doubt.
“We have talked to our levy payers, we have talked to the taxi operators, and now we and Our Union Street will be working in partnership with concerned parties to find a way forward.
“We think people in Aberdeen would support that.”
An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: “The council, as a licensing authority, will determine any licensing application in line with the current statutory framework and is not in a position to comment on possible future applications.”
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.
Cleethorpes taxi drivers are breathing a sigh of relief after council enforcement officers cracked down on vehicles illegally parked in designated taxi ranks.
A Barry man has avoided jail after launching a drunken attack on a taxi driver who refused him entry to his vehicle.
Jersey’s taxi service is in crisis, with driver numbers plummeting by more than a quarter since 2014, a new report has revealed.
On Wednesday 27 July, more than 300 vulnerable youngsters were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Southport.
Taxi drivers in the town will be able to charge passengers more following a decision by the borough council on 31 July.
A taxi driver has been sentenced to a community order after admitting causing the death of a pedestrian by driving at excessive speed.
A joint operation by council, police, and DVSA officials has seen three taxis taken off the road in Oldham due to safety concerns.
Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex could soon be forced to accept card payments, following a surge in complaints about cash-only services.
Two men have avoided immediate jail time after a high-speed race left a taxi driver with serious injuries.
BYD, manufacturer of new energy vehicles and power batteries, has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Uber, designed to bring 100,000 new BYD EVs onto the Uber platform across key global markets.
Ways of increasing the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis across the city are set to be explored to make it easier for those who need one to get one.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
A Conwy Council meeting on Monday revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose license had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
A proposal to increase driver, vehicle and private hire operator licences was discussed on Friday 19 July 19 at Sheffield City Council’s waste and street scene committee.
Through this collaboration, FREENOW willl provide additional benefits giving drivers up to 25% off pay-as-you-go rates across the entire bp pulse electric charging network and discounted fuel at all UK bp branded sites.
Wakefield Licensing, working alongside West Yorks Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team, Police Intercept Team, DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park.