Network Private Hire, a key target for the police, fell foul of the legislation a fortnight ago
A further five cab firms have been denied licences, with three shut immediately, amid further claims in the war against criminality and dirty money in the private hire and taxi trade.
In the most extensive use yet of new legislation aimed at owners and shareholders of cab companies, one firm, Strathclyde Radio Cars, was refused a licence after police informed Glasgow City Council they believed a former co-accused of leading gangland figure Jamie “Iceman” Stevenson was profiting from the operation.
Another, Clyde Radio Cars, was also denied the required permit to run a taxi or private hire firm after police informed councillors they believed its previous owner was still financially benefiting from the business.
Strathclyde Police revealed that Stephen Calderwood, 44, from Bearsden, had been investigated but never convicted in relation to sexual allegations involving children between 2007 and 2009.
Three others, Online Private Hire from the city’s Bridgeton area, Town And Fort Cars in Ballieston and Fairfield Cars in Govan, failed to follow the correct procedures and their applications were thrown out, rendering them shut immediately.
The Herald understands Strathclyde Police were last night checking if any of the three were trading illegally.
Only one firm, Partick Private Hire, managed to secure a licence, while another, 50/50 cabs from Hillington, will be heard at a later date.
Legislation was last year introduced by the Scottish Government requiring all booking offices for the taxi and cab trade to be licensed. The scheme allows the police to carry out full background checks on firms and then advise councils on whether they should be licensed.
There have been mixed results so far where firms have had to go before local authority hearings, but Network Private Hire, a key target for the police, fell foul of the legislation a fortnight ago.
At yesterday’s mass hearing, Online Private Hire had its application thrown out after a manager other than the individual whose name was on the official forms appeared.
Fairfield Cars had failed to provide the correct company details but police also revealed that director and manager Stephen Young had failed to include the details of fellow director James Hamilton on the official documents.
Police also claimed that Hamilton, 50, of the Crookston area of Glasgow, once told an officer who demanded a breath specimen from him: “I could get you killed tomorrow if I wanted. I know people, I have form”.
His conviction for domestic abuse was read at the hearing, as were details of investigations into further alleged attacks on his partner.
Town And Fort provided two separate names for the company, and the existence of the 75% shareholder, 30-year-old Kenneth Fisher, from Cumbernauld, only materialised during police checks. The council’s licensing committee heard a details of previous convictions against Mr Fisher for driving without a licence and while disqualified.
The three firms were shut immediately and have to reapply for licences, a process that can take between one and six months. Another, Strathclyde Radio Cars, failed to secure a licence after police claimed that its former owner, George Mullen, was still receiving £2,000 a week from the company. New owner Greg Campbell claimed this was because he had bought the firm and was paying off the previous owner in instalments.
The firm, which has more than 280 drivers, was formerly United Cars, previously known as Domino Cars.
Mr Mullen was arrested and charged as part of the Operation Folklore, which led to his acquaintance Jamie “The Iceman” Stevenson receiving a 12-year sentence for money laundering. He was later acquitted of all the charges.
During the application for Clyde Cars, police claimed Mr Calderwood was still receiving several hundred pounds a month from the company.
Chief Inspector Stuart Neill said: “We will now look at taking action against the companies whose applications were today ruled as incompetent. We would argue that they no longer have a licence to operate and if they continue to do business then they are trading unlawfully.”
BACKGROUND: Legal progress slow but steady
The taxi and private hire trade have been synonymous with crime and money-laundering for years but the authorities, until last year, have had few tools to get to grips with the problem.
Almost three years ago, things changed. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill arranged meetings with senior police officers over concerns over the private hire trade.
Legislation was last year introduced by the Scottish Government requiring all booking offices for the taxi and cab trade to be licensed.
The scheme allows the police to carry out full background and financial checks on firms.
There are still gaps in the legislation, but it is the hope of police and local authorities this will be tightened in due course.
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