Taxi Driver Online

Nottingham Evening Post

July 17, 2007 Tuesday

Surprise at who's caught on the kerbside

Undercover cops have arrested 70 men over four nights in a clampdown on kerb-crawlers. The operation was among moves to clear the city's streets of prostitution and police say they were surprised at some of the people they snared. James Smith reports

Officers from Nottingham's prostitution task force are disappointed a taxi-driver and local resident were among those arrested in an operation to target kerb-crawlers.

On four nights last month, female officers went undercover in the city's red light district around Forest Road and parts of Mapperley Park and St Ann's.

Task force member PC Andy Coles said: "I found the arrest of a 25-year-old local resident particularly disappointing as these are the people we are trying to help to make their local area a better place to live.

"As for the taxi driver, this has been a surprise as Nottingham Taxi Licensing has done a great job in punishing drivers who offend and we rarely see them now."

Steve Dowling, service director for environment and public protection, said the city council was not sure it was a city-based taxi driver and, given the details, would run a check.

Thorough checks and reviews are, he said, carried out on all Hackney carriage and private hire drivers.

More than 630 men have been arrested for kerb-crawling in the first three years of a police crackdown.

They netted 240 last year and had caught 68 by the end of May, before the latest operation.

Esther Michailovs, who runs Night Fever on the corner of Mansfield Road and Forest Road - traditionally a popular spot for street prostitutes - says the area has been quieter lately.

"It used to be a problem a few years ago and we do still see a few girls, but there has been an improvement," she said.

"The wardens have helped as well as you can call them and they will move the girls on."

Of the 70 men arrested in the latest operation, 47 admitted the offence. They must pay about £200 to attend a Change rehabilitation course and receive a police caution.

The course is for men who have no previous offences against women. Profits go to projects and schools in vice areas.

PC Coles said the task force was still confident it could rid the city of street prostitution.

But he said: "This problem took decades to develop and is not something we are going to solve overnight."

Sue Johnson, from the Prostitutes Outreach Workers (POW) project, welcomed the success of the enforcement and called for more support in getting women out of prostitution.
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