Middlesbrough private hire licence granted despite historic teenage convictions following Committee review
- Perry Richardson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
An application for a private hire vehicle driver licence has been granted by Middlesbrough Council’s Licensing Committee, despite the applicant’s history of criminal convictions. The decision was made following careful consideration of the circumstances surrounding each offence and the time that had since passed.
The applicant appeared before the Committee on 28 April 2025 due to three previous convictions disclosed through a recent criminal record check. The offences included handling stolen goods in 1997, criminal damage in 2013, and failing to comply with a community order in 2014.
The Committee heard that the first offence, handling stolen goods, occurred when the applicant was 18. He told the Committee that a friend had left speakers in his flat, which he later found were stolen. On the advice of his solicitor at the time, he pleaded guilty to avoid a more serious burglary charge. The applicant received a six-month prison sentence.
Regarding the criminal damage offence in 2013, the applicant stated he had no recollection of the incident. For the final offence—failing to comply with a community order—the applicant explained that it was due to a scheduling conflict with new employment, which affected his availability for unpaid work. He was fined £10.
The Council’s Licensing Policy states that applicants are not permanently barred from holding a licence due to past convictions, but a period free of offences is usually expected. Offences involving dishonesty, such as handling stolen goods, typically lead to refusal unless there are exceptional circumstances.
In this case, the Committee accepted that the dishonesty-related offence occurred 28 years ago, when the applicant was still a teenager. They also considered that there had been no further convictions in the last decade, and that the applicant had changed his behaviour.
The applicant claimed to have been previously licensed by Middlesbrough Council more than ten years ago, although no records could be located due to the Council’s data retention policies. A Licensing Officer did recall the applicant holding a licence in the past.
After reviewing all evidence and listening to the applicant’s explanations, the Committee decided to grant the licence. However, a formal warning was issued to underline that any further incidents may result in immediate review or revocation of the licence.
