FIT AND PROPER


NEWPORT CABBIE CAUGHT SMOKING SLAPPED WITH A £450 LEGAL BILL


A Newport cabbie caught smoking in his cab was left fuming after being slapped with a £450 legal bill. Mohammed Ghanfar Hussain, 41, was taken to court by Newport City Council for


having a sneaky cigarette in a Toyota Avensis car on Nash Road. He was spotted smoking a cigarette by one of the authority’s community safety wardens on Saturday April 23.


Hussain, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health Act. He was fined £120 at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court and ordered to pay £301.56 costs as well as a £34 surcharge.


GLASGOW PH DRIVER SET OFF WITH PASSENGER LEANING THROUGH WINDOW


A PH driver who set off with a passenger leaning through his window during a row over the fare has been given a chance to drive. Abbas Ahmad previously had a bid to renew his licence thrown out following a complaint from Police Scotland after the incident in 2017. Mr Ahmad, who told licensing chiefs the passenger was trying to get away without paying, has now been granted a private hire driver’s licence. He was warned over his future behaviour. Glasgow’s licensing committee heard how Mr Ahmad had been fined £450 for culpable and reckless conduct after he drove away while a customer was leaning through the window. A Police Scotland officer said a man had been dragged along the road, and injured, during the incident in Rutherglen. Mr Ahmad’s legal representative told councillors his client had “found himself in a difficult situation”. The driver had picked up two “inebriated” passengers who had promised to pay the fare and asked to go to the cash machine when they


reached Rutherglen, the


committee heard. One man did “a runner” while the other passenger


PHTM SEPTEMBER 2022


tripped and dropped his wallet in the car, councillors were told. Mr Ahmad kept hold of the wallet and “the passenger decided to put his hand in to try and grab it”, his legal representative said. He added: “At the time feelings were high and Mr Ahmad stupidly, and he realises it was not the correct thing to do, moved forward. I’m afraid at that time he was reluctant to let them get away and he realises he acted foolishly.” The passenger later paid for the taxi. Since being rejected for a licence renewal, Mr Ahmad has been a delivery driver for Yodel and has a “blemish free record”. Cllr Alex Wilson, the licensing committee chairman, proposed granting the private hire driver’s licence for a restricted period of one year. However, an amendment from Bailie Hanif Raja to grant the licence for three years passed by four votes to three. Another private hire driver, Adnan Tahir, has also been handed a licence despite driving off while a woman and her daughter tried to get out of his car. Adnan Tahir, who was fined £270 and given three points on his licence for driving without due


care and attention, was granted a private hire driver’s licence for a one-year period by the committee. He was also warned over his future conduct after Police Scotland complained over the incident in December 2018. Mr Tahir pulled his car forward while his passenger and her four-year-old daughter were trying to alight. Cllr Wilson said: “The incident is very serious. You’re carrying passengers around Glasgow and you’re moving your vehicle without checking to make sure the passengers are actually safe.” In response, Mr Tahir said the woman had asked to use the cash machine but when he pulled over he realised a car was turning out of a junction behind him. “I thought it’s not safe here, I just lifted my foot off the break,” he added. “It wasn’t intentional.” Asked why he parked somewhere that wasn’t safe, the driver said: “I tried to make it easier for the passenger and stopped near the cash machine.” Cllr Wilson said: “Your job is to make sure your passengers are completely 100% safe at all times.” Mr Tahir apologised to the committee.


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