LICENCE REVOKED: Terrified private hire vehicle passenger calls family to say they ‘love them’ during 100mph ride
A private hire driver was caught plying-for-hire and in another incident left a passenger so scared they called their relatives to say goodbye, has had his licence revoked and been ordered to pay £1,640 in costs.
Northampton Crown Court upheld West Northamptonshire Council’s decision to strip Mohammed Badrul Alam of his private hire licence. The Luton-based driver had misled the authority by failing to disclose a prosecution and conviction for plying for hire and driving without insurance.
Alam’s record also included a series of complaints, one of which detailed an alarming incident where a passenger feared for their life as the driver hit speeds of 100mph. The passenger was so distressed that they phoned their relatives from the vehicle to tell them they loved them.
Northamptonshire Magistrates’ Court initially upheld the Council’s decision to revoke his licence. Alam then took the case to the Crown Court, where Her Honour Judge Lucking dismissed his appeal. She ruled that he was not an honest witness, stating his claim that he planned to inform the Council after his penalty points were added was “highly implausible”.
Alam was ordered to pay £1,500 in Crown Court costs, adding to the £140 from his previous appeal. The case was presented by West Northamptonshire Council’s in-house legal team, with Susan Desfontaines representing the Council in the Magistrates’ Court and Nicki Agalamanyi in the Crown Court.
The ruling reinforces the Council’s stance on public safety, sending a clear message that drivers who put passengers at risk will not be tolerated.
Cllr Matt Golby, WNC’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Public Health and Regulatory Services, said: “The safety of residents and passengers who use private-hire and taxi services is paramount to us, and the majority of drivers conduct themselves to the highest standards. Our officers work hard to ensure that these standards are met, and we are pleased that the Crown Court has upheld our decision.”
