SHAME SHAME
HUNT FOR SEX ATTACK GLOUCESTER CABBIE WHO FLED UK AFTER LENIENT SENTENCE OVERTURNED
Authorities are searching for a cabbie who fled the UK following an overturned suspended sentence. Taranjit Singh, also known as Tony, had initially walked free from court in October 2024, but now faces four years in prison. Singh, 50, was convicted of three counts of sexual assault for an attack that occurred in November 2021. While working as a taxi driver in Gloucester, he picked up a woman who fell asleep in his car. Instead of taking her home, he drove her to an industrial estate and sexually assaulted her. He was initially sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court to 24 months in prison, suspended for
two years. This sentence
also
included 200 hours of unpaid work, a rehabilitation pro- gramme, and an order to pay £4,380 in prosecution costs. However, the Attorney General’s Office deemed the sentence “unduly lenient” and therefore referred the case to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal agreed and, on 21 January, increased Singh’s sentence to four years of immediate imprisonment. A warrant for his arrest was issued the following day, but by then, he
is believed to have left the country. “Singh’s disappearance is cowardly but I am hopeful that he will soon be located so he can begin his sentence behind bars,” said DC Annabel Brittain of Gloucestershire Police. “I’m pleased to see that Singh’s sentence has now been increased to reflect the severity of his offences.”
Singh has been banned from being a taxi driver for ten years and he will remain on the sex offenders’ register for life. He is also subject to an indefinite restraining order preventing him contacting the victim. Efforts to locate and apprehend Singh are ongoing.
CORNWALL CABBIE LOSES LICENCE AFTER ABUSIVE TIRADE AGAINST PARKING OFFICER
A Cornwall taxi driver has had his licence revoked after he pursued and verbally abused a parking enforcement officer who issued him a ticket outside a primary school. The driver, who was ticketed for parking on zig-zag lines near a school crossing, subjected the officer to a barrage of swearing and abuse in front of young children. The incident, captured on the officer’s body camera, triggered an investigation by Cornwall Council’s licensing compliance
team,
culminating in a hearing before the licensing committee. “The Committee decided that the driver’s behaviour was not that of a professional driver licensed by the council, and was not the behaviour
68
of a fit and proper person to hold such a licence,” a council statement confirmed. The council has taken a firm stance against the driver’s
actions.
Councillor Carol Mould, portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, stated: “We will not tolerate any kind of abuse towards our staff, or members of the public. This individual’s behaviour was totally unacceptable.”
She emphasised that “We expect taxi drivers to abide by the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards and those who fail to do so risk losing their licence.” Cllr Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder with responsibility for enforce- ment, highlighted the dangers of
parking infractions near schools. “Unfortunately, there are often incidents around schools where drivers get impatient and sometimes aggressive. Zig-zag restrictions outside schools are there to protect children, who could be distracted because they may not have the same level of road sense as adults,” he explained. Alvey added: “Due to the danger it presents to children, we take a zero-tolerance
approach to
parking on zig-zags outside schools. “This driver’s behaviour was totally unacceptable. We ask that all drivers are patient and considerate, particularly around schools, and make sure they abide by the traffic regulations that are in place.”
APRIL 2025 PHTM
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