Court backs Buckinghamshire Council’s taxi licence refusal for driver with previous sexual assault caution
Buckinghamshire Council has successfully defended its decision to refuse a taxi and private hire driver licence to an applicant with a previous caution for sexual assault. The ruling reinforces the council’s commitment to public safety in taxi and private hire licensing.
Basit Ali accepted a caution for sexual assault in 2012, leading to the revocation of his licence. Applications for a new licence were subsequently refused in 2015, 2016, and 2018. In 2023, Mr Ali applied again, but Buckinghamshire Council rejected the application, stating he could not be considered a fit and proper person under its licensing policy.
The council’s policy treats cautions for sexual offences in the same way as convictions. In line with national standards, applicants with a history of sexual offences are usually refused a licence, regardless of when the offence took place.
Mr Ali appealed the decision, arguing that the council had placed too much emphasis on his past caution and not enough on the passage of time and his conduct since. The appeal was heard at Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on 19 December 2024.
Magistrates ruled that Buckinghamshire Council had correctly applied its policy and found no exceptional circumstances in Mr Ali’s case. His appeal was dismissed, and he was ordered to pay the council’s legal costs of £5,740.56.
Under Buckinghamshire Council’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy, applicants with offences related to sexual activity or indecency will not be granted a licence. The decision confirms the council’s firm stance on safeguarding passengers and maintaining strict licensing standards.
Mark Winn, Cabinet Member for Homelessness and Regulatory Service, said: "The safety and wellbeing of the public is of paramount importance to Buckinghamshire Council.
“It is in the best interests of the taxi trade that the public have confidence in the safety of taxi vehicles and of those driving them and we therefore remain committed to applying our policies robustly and this includes ensuring that only those individuals who are deemed fit and proper are granted licences.
“Our firm stance on sexual offences reflects our dedication to safeguarding passengers and maintaining the highest standards of safety within our community."
