Out-of-town private hire driver banned and fined THOUSANDS for plying-for-hire at Henley Regatta
A private hire driver working out-of-town has been banned from driving for four months and ordered to pay more than £2,700 in fines and costs after being caught illegally plying for hire at the 2024 Henley Regatta.
Wasif Butt, 41, was found guilty at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on 10 March 2025 of unlawfully picking up passengers without a booking and driving without valid insurance.
The court heard how South Oxfordshire District Council officers monitor Henley during the annual regatta to prevent private hire drivers from outside the area operating illegally. On 5 July 2024, undercover licensing officers from South Oxfordshire District Council and Reading Borough Council spotted Butt, who was licensed by Fareham Borough Council, parked illegally on New Street.
During a test purchase, Butt agreed to take the officers to Reading for £50—well above the usual £27-£29 fare for a licensed hackney carriage. As a private hire driver, he was not permitted to pick up passengers without a pre-arranged booking. By doing so, his insurance was automatically invalidated.
Following the trial, Butt received a four-month driving disqualification and was ordered to pay a total of £2,716 in fines and legal costs.
Cllr Georgina Heritage, Cabinet Member for Communities at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This case highlights the consequences for drivers who flout licensing laws and prioritise profits over public safety. Public safety is our top priority and we will not tolerate anyone who puts passengers at risk in an untraceable and uninsured journey.
“Thank you to officers at Reading Borough Council for their assistance with this prosecution and working with us in helping to keep people safe during the Regatta.”
