Taxi Driver Online

Aberdeen Press and Journal

August 17, 2006 Thursday

HEADLINE: Portuguese man refused licence to drive taxi in Moray

BYLINE: Raymond Shewan

A Portuguese national had his application for a taxi driver's licence turned down by councillors yesterday.

Moray Council's licensing committee was told that Justino Quaresma, 47, had chalked up two convictions in nine months for using a vehicle without insurance and currently had 12 points on his licence.

The first conviction was at Bristol Magistrates' Court in June last year, followed by a second at Elgin Sheriff Court in March this year.

The convictions were brought to the committee's attention by Grampian Police who objected to his application on the grounds that they did not consider him to be a fit and proper person to hold a taxi licence.

The committee heard that Mr Quaresma, of 80 High Street, Elgin, had previously run a shop business in Bristol, which had failed.

Committee chairman Alastair Bisset moved that Mr Quaresma be granted a temporary licence for a year.

But an amendment by Councillor Alasdair Urquhart that he was not a fit and proper person because of his "obvious disregard" for road traffic law was carried by five votes to three.

Meanwhile, Elgin man Steven Ross was granted a taxi driver's licence by the committee, despite an objection from the police.

Councillors heard the police objected to his application because of his involvement in an incident at a nightclub in Elgin three years ago.

He was fined £400 for assaulting a door steward, resisting arrest and being in possession of a quantity of cannabis resin.

The police claimed the convictions meant he was not a fit and proper person to be granted a taxi driver's licence.

However, the committee unanimously approved the application for a one-year period after being told that Mr Ross, 28, of 53 Meadow Crescent, New Elgin, had been employed by Elgin-based Tornado Taxis as a radio operator for three years and was regarded as a valuable employee.
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