Taxi Driver Online

Crackdown on ‘pervert’ limo drivers

SEX offenders are taking jobs as limousine chauffeurs so they can target young girls, Wales’ top public road transport official claimed today. Traffic Commissioner Nick Jones said sting operations revealed drivers who were on the sex offenders’ register.

Mr Jones said: “The police and Vosa (Vehicle Operator and Standards Agency) have told me that when they undertake checks on stretch limousines, very often they find people on the sex offenders’ register.

“Stretch limousines have become popular for end-of-term proms, so you get young girls aged 14 to 15. Sometimes they are plied with alcohol, and sometimes the drivers choose to be drivers because it is an opportunity to have a pop at the girls. It’s a cause for concern.”

Mr Jones spoke as he launched a crackdown on the vehicles as their popularity soars in South Wales. He said a safety campaign in the US five years ago, which included tighter regulation and safety checks, forced many stretch limousines off American roads. He fears some were shipped to Britain where the novelty value of hiring a limousine for the night was just starting to kick off.

“A lot of vehicles are inherently dangerous. Many people have chosen to operate outside the law,” said Mr Jones. “Across England and Wales 10 years ago there were four stretch limousines. Now one senior policeman has told me there are 40,000. A lot are unregulated and illegal. “A large number are here because they were deemed unsafe to run in America.”

He said the current lack of regulation could even prove tempting to money launderers who could buy into limousine businesses. He added that some of the vehicles were not properly insured and had not undergone road safety checks.

Mr Jones said: “There is legislation relating to private hire vehicles and taxis which is undertaken by local authorities and there are regulations relating to public service vehicles which are undertaken by traffic commissioners. But stretch limousines are neither one nor the other. The law is so complicated.”

Mr Jones is taking the UK lead on studying limousine regulation and his findings could form part of a shake-up in transport laws. Vehicles carrying up to eight passengers should be licensed by councils, whereas limos with bigger capacities fall under Mr Jones’ responsibility.

The plans were welcomed by limo operator Richard Singleton, of Coychurch, Bridgend, who has 15 vehicles in his fleet, Singleton’s Limousines. He said today: “All our drivers go through Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks because we don’t want anyone who has been convicted, especially sex offenders.

“When they apply we tell them they will be checked. You would be surprised how many say they don’t want the job because they know something will flash up. “We don’t want any paedophiles dealing with kids, and kids are 50% of our business.” Mr Singleton also welcomed the crackdown on rogue companies, saying: “It will get all the rubbish cars off the road.”

South Wales Police’s head of public protection, Detective Superintendent Martyn Jones, said: “Under Government legislation there are vetting processes in place in relation to the licensing of taxi drivers.

“When a taxi driver applies for a licence they are subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks, carried out by the relevant police force, whereby previous convictions and any relevant information is disclosed to licensing authorities who decide whether drivers are suitable.

“South Wales Police also carry out regular operations and checks to target potential unlicensed taxi drivers in conjunction with local authorities and Trading Standards and take positive action where drivers are found to be unlicensed. “We would always urge passengers to use reputable, licensed companies.”

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IDFIMH

How many of these "sex offenders" have been prosecuted as a result of being found behind the wheel of a limousine? If this were actuallt true don't you think that there would have been something in the press. This is the same guy that says 10 years ago there were only 4 stretched limousines in the country and now there are 40,000. He just makes it up as he goes along.

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Grandad,

they stop m reg toyota avenis's but ive never seen a 22ft hummer pulled over, cops just dont know the law...

I have sent him an email asking him to confirm the details of the court cases involving these "pervert" drivers.

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Grandad,

Damage is already being done.

That said, I'm not too sure this is confined to just the South Wales area.

What this space is all I can say at present.

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IDFIMH

What's the point of that - are you saying that they shouldn't be on the sex offender's register - you seem to be clutching at straws here.

Well if you read the article you'll see that the problem seems to be that it's a grey area, thus in many cases those on the sex offenders register can't actually be prosecuted for being behind the wheel.

In Fife limos are allowed to operate unregulated, thus could be driven by drivers on the sex offenders register, so if the sector is unregulated then they can't be prosecuted, surely?

But clearly the TC thinks this is a "cause for concern", as I think would the vast majority of people, so why don't you??

Any sensible limo company should be using drivers that are CRB Checked.

I must admit , Its very easy for a pervert to go and buy a limo on e-bay for 8k and go and take kids out.

Its also Just as easy for them to go and buy a ford mondeo and hang around the city centre for drunk young women , Prentend to be a taxi and go on to rape them . I would bet this is more often the case than a pervert in a limo .

These perverts are on the streets because our goverment lets them , this is a problem created by them . Buy them a one way ticket to Iraq and put them on the front line.

Which brings us all back to the 'self drive' scam being used by many Limo firms.

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IDFIMH

Dan C wrote

why go to all that Expense, if they were so Minded they could just Borrow A puppy for a day or Buy a packet of smarties to entice the Innocent..If its 16 Plus theyre after im Guessing Alcopops might work better than smarties.

Seriously though..no one on the Sex Offenders Register should be allowed within Five Miles of a youngster let alone be Driving them about.

It is also easy for this chap to say that drivers are on the sex offenders register but where is the proof? If they had been on the register they would havce been in court.

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Grandad,

Still not sure what you're getting at hear grandad.

Are you saying that if they'd been on the register then if found driving a limo then they would have ended up in court?

But what for? The register is just that, and for the police to keep track of you - it doesn't actually stop people on it from doing anything.

So someone on the sex offenders' register driving a limo isn't doing anything wrong. Of course, they probably wouldn't get a badge to drive a licensed vehicle, but if a limo doesn't require to be licensed then the driver doesn't need a badge.

The reason for the register is to stop people on it from being involved in activities that involve children. If anyone on the register does get a job involving children they are committing an offense and if caught, like this chap says they have been, they would be arrested and taken straight to court.

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Grandad,

AFAIK, being placed on the sex offenders register and not being allowed to work with children are two different things. In most of the relevant news articles I've read, it has appeared to be a case of "he was placed on the SFR and he is not allowed to work with children" as opposed to "placed on the SFR which means that he is not allowed to work with children."

I'm not 100% certain on this, it's just the impression I have been under.

It neednt be Just Children.....a person could be on the Sex Offenders Registers for Adult type Offences too.....this would mean anyone of any age could be a Potential Victim...

A compulsory CRB check would help Weed these People out, its not rocket Science.