FIT AND PROPER
SALTCOATS WOMAN GRANTED TAXI LICENCE DESPITE DRINK-DRIVING CONVICTIONS
A Saltcoats woman with previous drink-driving convictions has been granted a taxi driver’s licence by North Ayrshire Council, despite objections from Police Scotland. Sarah Connolly appeared before the licensing committee on 8 January, facing opposition from councillors due to two prior offences.
In 2020, she was fined £500 and banned from driving for a year after being found three times over the legal alcohol limit in Ardrossan. A subsequent incident in 2022 on the Isle of Arran resulted in an £800 fine and a 15-month driving ban. Connolly claimed she was not driving in this instance, stating
that she had switched seats with a friend who had driven the car into a ditch in order to exit the vehicle. Sergeant David Markin argued that these convictions rendered Connolly unfit to hold a taxi driver’s licence. However, the committee voted 7-3 in her favour.
BLACKPOOL PRIVATE HIRE LICENCE APPLICATION REFUSED DUE TO PAST CONVICTIONS
An application for a taxi licence was denied by Blackpool Council’s Public Protection Sub-Committee after checks revealed past convict- ions for violence and dishonesty. The applicant failed to disclose these offences on their application form saying it was due to a “misunderstanding” as English is not being their first language.
In a separate case from the same meeting held on December 6th, another applicant was granted a private hire licence, but with a severe warning letter attached. This individual had four convict- ions for seven separate offences between May 2010 and March 2015, with dangerous driving offences - being a particular concern.
The applicant stated that their last offence occurred nearly ten years ago and that they had worked as a cabbie in another area for the past two years without any issues. The sub-committee, considering the recent driving history and absence of any issues in their previous role, deemed the applicant suitable to hold a licence.
GLASGOW CABBIES REFUSED LICENCES FOR DRINK-DRIVING AND SPITTING
A Glasgow man with a history of drink-driving offences has been denied a private hire car licence by city licensing chiefs. Police Scotland strongly objected to the application and presented evidence to the licensing com- mittee, outlining offences com- mitted by Marcin Myslicki, including a 15-month driving ban in 2013 for drink-driving, a three- year ban in 2018 for failing to provide a breath sample, and charges of driving while disqual- ified and without insurance.
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Mr Myslicki was also convicted in 2017 of assaulting and abducting his pregnant wife for which he was sentenced to 150 hours of community service. Considering the seriousness of the offences, the committee, denied his application. Meanwhile a Glasgow private hire driver was refused a new licence after being convicted of assault for spitting on a passenger. Syed Shah’s application for renewal was rejected after Police Scotland informed the committee that Mr
Shah had been sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work for an incident in 2023 where he “behaved in an abusive manner” towards a passenger while working. Mr Shah had “shouted, swore and acted in a threatening manner” towards the passenger and assaulted them by spitting on them.
Although Mr Shah expressed remorse, attributing his behaviour to the “hard time” he faced from some passengers, the committee refused his application for a three- year licence.
FEBRUARY 2025 PHTM
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