Taxi Driver Online

Cabbie's bid to get licence plea fails


A former cabbie with a conviction for attacking a passenger with a metal bar has had an appeal to regain his private hire driver's licence turned down.

Zaheer Babar was convicted of the assault on a passenger in 2008, and at a hearing of Northampton Borough Council's licensing committee in March of this year his application to renew his licence was rejected.

He appealed against this decision at Northampton magistrates yesterday but the bench opted not to return his licence to him.

Ron Mineards, appearing for Mr Babar, said he had pleaded guilty to the assault on the basis that "it was in excess of reasonable force".

He said: "Three women were racially abusive and one of the women attacked him. He then brought out a bar to ward the group off and he accepts that it made contact with the complainant, causing an injury.

"He didn't intend that the bar made contact."

In addition to the suspended sentence for the attack, which happened in February 2007, the court heard Mr Babar had a conviction for another offence in 1999 but Mr Mineards said these were isolated incidents because of the time between them.

Mr Babar, 44, of Russet Drive, Little Billing, Northampton, said: "I wish I could turn the time back and I wish I could fly away from there."

Hema Vissian, for the council, said: "You see from the evidence it has always been someone else's fault. He has pleaded guilty to these matters, so whatever the background he has put his hands up and accepted it.

"In the interests of public safety can you possibly allow this application?"

Merrill Mayo, presiding magistrate, said: "We find that Northampton Borough Council acted in accordance with their guidelines, when refusing the public hire driver's licence for Zaheer Babar.

"He has two convictions for violence 12 years apart. It is in the nature of the job of a taxi driver that he will encounter provocation and abuse.

"We need to be satisfied that he can deal with this appropriately for the protection and safety of the public."

Mr Babar was also ordered to pay £750 costs.

Why ???...he seems such a nice guy...oh well...maybe he'll can apply to be a Taxi driver..

His punishment seems a bit severe, who amongst us can honestly say they have never hit a woman with an iron bar ?

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Use of irony

CC

Where's the bucket?!!!!!!!!!!!!

_________________
Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Would it count against me if I said "...only in self defence..."?