NOT-FIT-AND-PROPER: Taxi licence refused following multiple allegations of serious offences
Updated: 10 hours ago
A former Stockton hackney carriage and private hire driver has been refused a new licence after the General Licensing Committee deemed him not to be a fit and proper person due to past arrests and inconsistent statements.
The applicant, who previously had his licence revoked in 2022, appeared before the committee on 23 October 2024 to request a new licence. The committee reviewed the applicant’s history, including two arrests in 2020 and 2021 on serious charges, although no convictions followed.
The first arrest in 2020 related to allegations of controlling behaviour and rape of his then-wife. A subsequent arrest in 2021 involved accusations of kidnapping, gang rape, and injecting a victim with heroin. While Cleveland Police took no further action due to insufficient evidence, the committee remained concerned.
During the hearing, the committee examined the applicant’s inconsistent statements. Notably, he initially claimed that CCTV footage from his property was taken by the police but later stated that the system had been inactive for over a year. The committee also highlighted his failure to disclose his occupation as a taxi driver to the police at the time of his arrests, which he admitted during the hearing.
The applicant argued that the allegations were false and motivated by his ex-wife’s desire to remain in the UK. He also claimed that his ex-wife had paid the complainant in the second case to fabricate the charges. However, the committee found no evidence to support these assertions and expressed concerns over the applicant’s credibility.
The committee also noted a driving incident in 2012, where the applicant was stopped for speeding, and his evasive response when questioned about it further cast doubt on his suitability.
While the applicant presented various documents, including letters from MPs and a private hire operator’s reference, the committee was unconvinced. They emphasised that public safety is paramount and concluded that the applicant’s inconsistent and evasive behaviour posed too great a risk.
Citing the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, the committee unanimously refused the application, stating that the applicant was not a fit and proper person to hold a combined hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence.
