Court upholds revocation of Three Rivers cabbie licence following passenger allegations of ‘inappropriate touching’
St Albans Magistrates’ Court has upheld a decision by Three Rivers District Council to revoke the taxi licence of Mr Shams Pervaiz of Watford after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a passenger.
The council’s licensing team revoked Mr Pervaiz’s licence immediately after receiving a report from a passenger, who had been seated in the front of the vehicle.
The incident, described as involving ‘inappropriate touching’, raised serious concerns about passenger safety. Three other passengers, seated in the rear of the taxi, corroborated the report, stating that the behaviour and conversations during the journey left them feeling uncomfortable.
Following the complaint, licensing officers assessed Mr Pervaiz’s suitability to continue operating as a licensed driver. After conducting interviews with the victim and the other passengers, the council concluded that Mr Pervaiz was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence and posed a potential risk to the public.
The case was brought before Deputy District Judge Low on 16 December 2024. After reviewing the evidence, the court upheld the council’s decision, reinforcing the authority’s stance on maintaining passenger safety as a priority in taxi licensing matters.
Cllr Sarah Nelmes, Deputy Leader of Three Rivers District Council and Lead Member for General Public Services, said: “Public safety is paramount. Let this be a stark reminder to all licensed drivers that incidents of this nature are dealt with robustly and any driver that falls below the expected high standards, runs the risk of losing their licence and their livelihood.
“All drivers licensed by Three Rivers District Council are expected to act with integrity, to demonstrate conduct befitting the trust that is placed in them and to ensure the comfort and safety of their passengers at all times.”
