Taxi Driver Online

Well I suppose a former female police detective who's now Bracknell Council leader is better suited to getting to the bottom of this sort of thing than most

Other than that, though, it's the usual murky licensing stuff about who knew what and when, and all the secret squirrel thing etc...

This isn't the actual photo of the councillor used in the article - I'd guess it's about councils emptying the bins, and stuff like that

But maybe putting the rubbish out is an apt analogy for this article


New council leader launches investigation into rapist taxi driver

https://wokingham.today/new-council-lea ... xi-driver/



Senior council figures have been asked to explain how concerns about convicted rapist Diwan Khan were handled in 2024, whilst the former Bracknell mayor was in office.

In her first act as Bracknell leader, police detective turned council chief Helen Purnell has launched an investigation into the council’s activities.

Bracknell’s interim leader is fiercely determined to expose the council processes that allowed a now convicted rapist to drive taxis and attend ceremonies as the Mayor’s consort.

Cllr Purnell wrote to the authority’s chief executive requesting detailed answers about the timeline of events and internal decision-making.

Her letter seen by the LDRS focuses on whether any warnings were raised during the licensing process – including from Thames Valley Police – and what information, if any, was shared with the council after Mr Khan was granted a licence.

Cllr Purnell has also asked whether concerns about Mr Khan’s suitability to hold a taxi licence were reported between the time it was issued and its eventual suspension, and how those concerns were assessed.

She drew particular attention to a meeting held in January 2024 for senior councillors, where a different serious allegation against Mr Khan was discussed – six months before rape he has since been convicted of.

The council leader has requested clarification on who attended and what action was taken following that meeting.

In the same month, Khan was asked to step back from his role as Mayor’s consort. His taxi licence is also believed to have been revoked at around the same time.

Khan later went on to rape a 15-year-old girl after feeding her vodka and ecstasy, and is awaiting sentence at the end of April.

On Wednesday March 13, less than a week after taking control, cllr Purnell announced:

“Under my direction as leader, the council has launched an investigation into its licencing and safeguarding.”

“As a mother and former police officer, I am relieved that both Diwan Khan and Naheed Ejaz have faced the full force of the law for their terrible crimes.

“We await their sentencing this year and my thoughts remain with the victim of these crimes.

“One of my first acts as leader has been to write to the Chief Executive asking key questions around the council’s licencing procedures.

“Leaders of all groups have now received copies of my letter.”

“Councillors from all parties and residents have rightly been in touch with questions since Naheed Ejaz and Diwan Khan’s sentencing. Questions which need answers.

“Now the Council will prepare an audit addressing the key questions raised in my letter and present that audit to the Governance and Overview Committee.

“This is a cross-party committee designed to give all parties the full information on the council’s activities, and an opportunity to openly scrutinise the Council’s processes.

“I was elected on a promise to be transparent, accountable and responsible – and that is what I am doing in taking these actions.”

So she wants to find out why the stable door wasn't bolted till after the event at a cost to the ratepayers of course.

simples a judgement call that turned out to be wrong is the most probable answer

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

You're being uncharacteristically charitable about the council's knowledge and motives here, Edders

...anyway, one detail I forgot to mention yesterday (but which is in another report) is that the mayor was the rapist's mother

So he was his mother's 'consort' when she was mayor. According to Google AI , a mayor's consort might be: "A mayor’s consort is a person chosen by a mayor to accompany them to official civic engagements and support them during their term. This is a ceremonial, non-political role. The consort is often a spouse or partner, but can be a family member, friend, or fellow councillor."

Sounds like a bit more than a judgement call here

But a quick read of this suggests the council did the right thing when the rape allegation first arose.

But although the earlier offences and allegations are historical, it would be interesting to know the precise details - what and when, most obviously, and what were 'allegations' and what were actual offences - and when and how he got a badge in the first place. But, I mean, it says: "...he had spent time in prison for driving without a licence and drug-related offences."

Not much sign of that detail here, but no doubt more will come out in time...


Taxi driver faced over 50 allegations by the police

https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/25 ... ns-police/


Image: Bracknell Forest Council/Bracknell News

A BRACKNELL taxi driver who raped a teenage girl had already accumulated 52 allegations of criminal offences before the attack took place, council records reveal.

Diwan Khan, whose mother Naheed Ejaz served as Bracknell's mayor, was convicted of rape in February alongside Ejaz, who was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. Both are due to be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on April 30.

Internal council documents, obtained by the Bracknell News, show senior officials had reclaimed the then 39-year-old's taxi licence as far back as January 2024 - six months before the rape offence was committed.

Kevin Gibbs, executive director of Bracknell Forest Council, wrote at the time that Khan "had a long string of offences: 52 from 2006", adding that he had spent time in prison for driving without a licence and drug-related offences. Mr Gibbs concluded this raised "serious questions over his appropriateness for ever qualifying for the issue of a taxi licence."

Council records, obtained through a the Freedom of Information request, also show Khan had been arrested on January 11, 2024 over a separate alleged offence committed over the Christmas and New Year period.

He was released on bail to his mother's home in 65 Abbotsbury, Bracknell, with conditions including no contact with the alleged victim, described as a vulnerable 19-year-old. His taxi licence was revoked following that arrest.

Monitoring officer Sanjay Prashar noted Khan had also been arrested in July 2023 on suspicion of a serious offence - an arrest that was not reported to the council. Mr Prashar wrote that Councillor Ejaz "was in full knowledge of this event."

Naheed Ejaz became Bracknell Forest's first Muslim mayor in May 2023 following Labour's local election victory. Her son served as her mayoral consort during a period when he was already under investigation in his capacity as a licensed taxi driver. Ejaz began scaling back her mayoral duties in January 2024, citing ill health.

The FOI documents were obtained by Ashley Bower-Dyke, vice-chair of Bracknell Conservatives, and shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Thames Valley Police has been contacted for comment.

Sanjay Prasher, monitoring officer and borough solicitor, said: “Thames Valley Police contacted the council’s licensing team in January 2024 regarding an investigation into Diwan Khan. This was for an alleged serious offence. As the responsible licensing authority, we revoked his licence with immediate effect to safeguard the public.

“Separately, a standards investigation into the conduct of Naheed Ejaz was undertaken in summer 2024 in accordance with the council’s procedures. It concluded that she had breached the code of conduct.

A spokesperson for Bracknell Forest Council said: “We are unable to comment on political decisions relating to the appointment of a Mayor and/or mayoral consort.

"This is a matter for the relevant political party. Likewise, we are unable to comment on a councillor’s decision to reduce their duties or step down from their post – this is a matter for the individual and the relevant political party.”

Khan was convicted of rape in January, having plied a teenage girl with ecstasy and vodka before attacking her in the summer of 2024.

His mother, former Bracknell mayor Naheed Ejaz, was convicted of perverting the course of justice. Both are due to be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on April 30.


Image: Bracknell Forest Council/Bracknell News

And this in the earlier report looks well dodgy:


Looks like he's around 41-years-old now, and it says his criminal history dates back to 2006, when he'd have been around 21.

But not clear when he did time, nor when precisely he got his badge

Well quite.

I wonder if this case shares similarities with the 'turning a blind eye' rape gang situation, where officers were concerned about their jobs and being accused of racism.

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IDFIMH