SHAME SHAME


STOKE PH DRIVER AND ASSISTANT ABUSED VULNERABLE KIDS IN SCHOOL RUN MINIBUS


Vulnerable children were mocked and physically abused on their journeys to school by a private hire driver and the driver assistant trusted to look after them. They were


subjected to hair-


pulling, slapping and one student was ‘sat on’ by one of the Z Carz staff who accompanied them on the minibus each day. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that the PH driver, John Dale, mimicked and mocked the way two non-verbal youngsters com- municated, while assistant Tracy Evans was heard sating she “didn’t like people in wheelchairs”. Their crimes came to light when another youngster saw the abuse. Prosecutor Deborah Gould told the court: “Both had some training in how to care and support people. The children cannot understand or describe what happened to them. Their conditions include challeng- ing behaviours. Patience


and


consideration is needed. “One child who witnessed the behaviour got upset but wouldn’t tell their mum only they didn’t like the driver’s assistant. “A student heard another student crying and Evans saying ‘That’s what you get for pulling hair'. “Evans was heard saying ‘If you pull my hair I will pull yours back’.” Parents and police were contacted after a student saw Evans sit on one of the other children. They also said they had seen both Dale and Evans shout at the victim and treat the child “like rubbish.” Ms Gould added: “They had seen Evans slap the victim. Sometimes the student would take their shoes off. Evans threw them back at her


PHTM JANUARY 2023


and said ‘That’s what you get.’ She said the sounds the student made were ‘really annoying’” Evans, 55, now works in a chip shop after being employed at Z Carz for ten years. Ex-serviceman Dale, 59, had worked for Z Carz for 15 years and is now unemployed. The pair admitted the ill-treatment or neglect of a person lacking capacity on occasions during 2018 and 2019. Both were handed nine-


month jail sentences, suspended for 18 months, and can never work with vulnerable people again. They were each give 100 hours unpaid work, and Dale must undertake 30 rehabilitation activity days. Judge David Fletcher said: “For people who have children with vulnerabilities, it’s extremely distressing and concerning. The victims were incapable of expressing what had happened to them. It’s only due to two people more able to communicate that these matters came to light. “It’s not suggested that everyone in your care was fearful of you. One student said ‘She was nice to me but not to the victim’. “Vulnerable people in our society are entitled to understand that their care should be of the highest quality.”


EDINBURGH PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER ASKED WOMEN TO PAY WITH SEX


A “predatory” private hire driver who pestered girls for sex when they had no money for their fare will be made to


sign


the Sex Offenders Register after prosecutors over- turned his appeal against conviction. Faisal Aziz, of Edinburgh, was hailed by two women aged 18 and 21. When they


told him they


couldn’t pay until they reached their destination, he asked: “What else can you offer...sex?”


Aziz, 33, was convicted in May 2021 of making sexually motivated remarks towards the pair. But in August this year, lawyers for the driver convinced appeal judges to remove the sexual element of the crime and reduce it to a breach of the peace. However, prosecutors appealed to the High Court which restored the conviction in full. The Lord Justice General noted that there was a “significant sexual aspect” to Aziz’s quip because he had directly asked for sex. Aziz’s licence was suspended by Edinburgh council and expired in September last year.


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