FINED: Spa-Tax Taxis' Director guilty of operating unlicensed PHV in Tewkesbury

Tewkesbury Borough Council has successfully prosecuted two individuals for various private hire licensing offences.

The prosecution was led by the council's Licensing team with support from the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit and One Legal, a legal service shared by multiple councils in the region.

On Monday 13 November, Victor Whitham, the Director of Spa-Tax Taxis, admitted to operating a private hire vehicle without a valid licence and employing an operator who lacked a private hire driver's licence. Whitham was ordered to pay a fine of £500 and a victim surcharge of £200. Additionally, he was instructed to cover £350 in costs to the council.

Simultaneously, Hassan Isakhail, pleaded guilty to several offences, including driving an unlicensed vehicle, providing private hire services without a licence, and driving without insurance coverage. Mr. Isakhail was fined £733 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £293, receiving eight penalty points on his driving record. Furthermore, he was directed to pay £250 in costs to the council.

The council's successful prosecutions came about due to a complaint made by a concerned citizen. The Licensing team meticulously worked alongside the Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit, utilising the expertise of One Legal to bring these offenders to justice.

Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment, Councillor Sarah Hands, said: “In the interests of public safety, it is vital that all private hire vehicles and drivers are licensed.

“Our licensing team carries out checks to ensure that all licence holders are safe and suitable to conduct private hire work – and without these checks public safety would be jeopardised.”