FIT AND PROPER
READING POLICE CATCH UNLICENSED PH DRIVER WHO IS FINED HUNDREDS AND GIVEN 8 POINTS
An unlicensed private hire driver, who was found to be illegally plying for hire in Reading, has been hit with financial penalties and penalty points on his licence. Adeel Soomro, 40, from Reading, was found to be operating a private hire vehicle without a licence, in a controlled district, and without the correct insurance.
On 8 April 2023, Mr Soomro parked in a disabled bay on Oxford Road, an area known to council licensing officers for drivers illegally plying for hire. He was approached by officers and agreed to take them to Tilehurst for £15 without a prior booking. At Reading Magistrates Court on 10 November 2023, Mr Soomro was
found guilty of plying for hire, and driving without insurance. He was ordered to pay a total of £960 in financial penalties and eight penalty points added to Mr Soomro’s driving licence. Lead Councillor for Transport, Cllr John Ennis, said: “Our licensing team will continue to maintain its vigilant enforcement activities.”
HEAVY FINES FOR TWO READING PH DRIVERS CONVICTED OF ILLEGALLY PLYING AT HENLEY REGATTA
Two private hire drivers illegally plying for trade have been fined following undercover checks at Henley Regatta last year. On Friday, December 15 at Oxford Magistrates’ Court,
Mumtaz
Ahmed Ismail, 55, from Reading, was ordered to pay more than £4,500 after being convicted of two counts of illegally plying for hire and two counts of driving without insurance.
He also had 14 points added to his DVLA driving licence, meaning he is now banned from driving for six months.
Mr Ismail was caught during a ‘test purchase’ operation in Henley when plain-clothed licensing officers from South Oxfordshire DC and neighbouring authorities checked to ensure that out of area drivers were not picking up passengers illegally at the Regatta and taking them on unbooked, uninsured and often untraceable journeys. Mr Ismail was stopped on June 29 2023 when he erroneously agreed to take an undercover officer to
40
Reading for a flat rate without having a booking in place. Mr Ismail was then caught again under the same circumstances just two days later. Mr Ismail failed to attend court on November 17 2023 and was convicted in his absence of all four offences. Sentencing was then adjourned until December 15 to allow him to attend and provide any mitigating cir- cumstances before sentencing. In a separate case on Friday, November 17 2023 at Oxford Magistrates’ Court,
Harish
Surendralal, 63, from Reading, was also convicted of illegally plying for hire at Henley Regatta and of driving without insurance. Mr Surendralal was caught during ‘test purchase’ operations at the Regatta on June 30 2023. He had also erroneously agreed to drive an undercover licensing officer to Reading for a flat rate. There was no booking in place and making this agreement immediately invalidated Mr Surendralal’s insurance.
As a result of his actions, Mr Surendralal was ordered to pay £1,186 and had six points added to his DVLA driving licence. Councillor David Rouane, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Henley has repeatedly been targeted by drivers from outside the district attempting to operate illegally at the Regatta. “These individuals put people’s safety at risk and take work away from those who play by the rules. Our officers have been very successful in stopping those involved and we won’t hesitate to prosecute anyone who is caught in the act.”
Mr Ismail and Mr Surendralal were the first private hire drivers to be prosecuted following the 2023 Henley Regatta with cases against six more
individuals
pending. Following the 2022 event, five people were convicted for illegally plying for hire and associated offences, such as having no insurance.
JANUARY 2024 PHTM
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