Convener in lecture mode again
Man loses Glasgow private hire driver bid after giving fake licence when stopped
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glas ... e-27890438
The applicant wanted to drive private hires in Glasgow but the police objected as he'd presented a false licence when stopped for driving too slowly.
A man has lost his bid to become a private hire driver after it was revealed he was caught on the Clydeside Expressway with a fake licence.
Police Scotland objected to Abdul Wajid Mian’s application to Glasgow City Council due to an incident in May 2021.
An officer told councillors that the applicant had produced a “false” Italian driving licence when pulled over by police.
He had been stopped due to concerns over “excess braking” and “slow speeds.”
Councillors heard the applicant also showed a provisional UK licence to the officers, but he was “not accompanied by a qualified driver”.
Mr Mian, who has had a full UK driving licence since September 2021, was convicted in December last year.
He said he had been told the fake licence, which he bought online, was legal, but police checks had shown it was fake.
Mr Mian apologised for his behaviour and said he had been driving from Paisley, where he lived, to a job. “I drive well in Pakistan,” he added.
Councillor Alex Wilson, SNP, who chairs the licensing committee, said: “You do realise you put yourself and others at risk. We cannot have people driving with fake drivers’ licence.
“I understand the road system in Pakistan is probably a lot busier than what it is here, but you need to have a full UK driver’s licence to drive here.”
He added: “Because it’s a provisional licence, you have to have someone who has passed their test sitting with you. The fact that you were driving on your own invalidates your insurance.
“If you had an accident, you are getting sued massively. You could have killed people and you’re not insured. You’ve taken too many risks.”
Mr Mian, who works as a delivery driver, said he wanted a private hire licence as he believed he could earn more money. He said he would adhere to the conditions of a licence.
Councillor Wilson moved that the application should be refused, while Councillor Jill Pidgeon, Labour, proposed an amendment to grant the licence for a restricted period of one year and issue a warning.
The motion to refuse passed by four votes to two.
