FIT AND PROPER
FORMER SOUTH OXON TAXI DRIVER PAYS PRICE FOR FAILING TO SIGN UP TO DBS UPDATE SERVICE
A former taxi driver has been ordered to pay nearly £2,000 after driving a hackney carriage without a valid driver’s licence. Besnik Laci, 55, from Reading, was prosecuted by South Oxfordshire DC and appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on 16 June. He pleaded guilty to driving without a licence and failing to return his taxi badge. The court heard how Mr Laci’s licence had been suspended on 30 November 2022 as he’d failed to sign up to the DBS Update Service, breaching a licence condition.
He was informed by letter not to drive a HCV until his driver’s licence was reinstated once a new enhanced DBS check was received. Despite this Mr Laci attended the council offices in a licensed HC, with his suspension letter in hand and refused to hand over his badge. Magistrates were told that Mr Laci continued to work for Grosvenor Chauffeur Cars Limited, having 160 jobs allocated to him between 5-15 December 2022.
In mitigation, Mr Laci said it was a misunderstanding. He said he’d
been licensed for 16 years but that processes had changed and he didn’t understand everything in the letter or that he’d end up in court. He advised the court that he hadn’t been working as a taxi driver for three months now. Magistrates imposed a fine of £440 for being an unlicensed driver, £292 for failure to return his badge or taxi plate and a victim surcharge of £293. Mr Laci was also ordered to pay a contribution towards prosecution costs of £782, making his total to pay £1,807.
WOLVERHAMPTON PHV DRIVER LOSES LICENCE APPEAL AFTER NOT REPORTING CONVICTION
A driver who lost his PHV licence after being involved in a collision that left a cyclist with a broken collar bone has lost his appeal to have it reinstated. Bright Kwarteng took his appeal against City of Wolverhampton Council’s (CWC) decision to revoke his licence to Dudley Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 30 June Kwarteng, 48, had a PH licence
until October 19 last year, four months after he was convicted of driving without due care and attention as a result of the collision in November 2021. On June 15 2022 Kwarteng had nine points added onto his licence after admitting the charge, as well as being fined £415. However, CWC said Kwarteng did not inform them of this within 48 hours, as required.
FINE & SIX POINTS FOR TELFORD DRIVER CAUGHT ILLEGALLY PLYING
A PH driver was caught picking up fares without a booking in an oper- ation by Telford & Wrekin Council (TWC) and City of Wolverhampton Council (CWC) last November. Kobina Badu was licensed by CWC but illegally picked up undercover officers in Telford. He appeared
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before Telford Magistrates’ Court and admitted the charges. The court issued a conditional discharge for six months and Mr Badu was ordered to pay £576 and had six penalty points added to his driving licence subject to review.
which is now
A spokesperson said: “Due to the serious nature of the collision, an immediate revocation of his licence was necessary.” At Friday’s appeal hearing, the judge said he accepted the incident was a one-off which resulted in serious injury and a criminal charge for Mr Kwarteng. He also noted there is a pending financial claim. The judge added: “It cannot be ignored the accident was whilst the appellant was in work. The appellant tred to minimise his responsibility which raises question marks over whether he can be trusted to be honest and genuine. “It is my judgement the appellant was vague and evasive but more likely disingenuous with his account. I therefore concur this was so serious it was enough to revoke the licence, and the appellant is not a fit and proper person. I therefore dismiss the appeal.”
AUGUST 2023 PHTM
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