Boro PH drivers slapped with fines after picking up passengers without licenceZulfiqar Ali, 48, Iftikar Habib, 27, and Kamran Khan, 35, all admitted plying for hire with a vehicle that was not licensed
Three private hire drivers were fined hundreds of pounds after they were caught out in an undercover operation by council officers.
Zulfiqar Ali, 48, Iftikar Habib, 27, and Kamran Khan, 35, all had licences to operate as taxi drivers but only after being booked by members of the public in advance.
But on separate occasions, they each offered to give lifts to Middlesbrough Council workers doing random checks on taxis in the town.
All three defendants, who were operating through Boro Cars Ltd at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty to plying for hire with a vehicle that was not licensed as a hackney carriage and using a vehicle without insurance.
Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard how on October 29 last year, Ali was approached for a fare at around 12.45am outside the Swatter’s Carr on Linthorpe Road.
Two officers asked if the driver was free to take them to the Sporting Lodge Hotel, Stainton, and the defendant gestured for them to get in,” said Dominic Taylor, prosecuting on behalf of Middlesbrough Council.
When asked the price of the journey, Ali, a dad-of-five, was quoted saying “£7.70, that’s what I usually charge.”
David Dedman, defending, said his client had made a “silly mistake”.
He said: “The facts are very straightforward. Mr Ali is a private hire taxi driver and has been for seven to eight years.
“He has never been in front of the committee and as far as I am aware, he has had no complaints and has no previous convictions.
“He foolishly agreed to do the trip. He is very sorry about his silly mistake.”
Ali, of Croydon Road, central Middlesbrough, was fined £470 and was ordered to pay £127 costs. He was also given six points on his licence.
The court heard how a day earlier, Habib was parked in a bus stop on Newham Way.
“Again, two council officers asked if he was booked and he said ‘no’,” Mr Taylor said.
“They asked to go to Mink bar in the town centre and quoted the officers £6.50.”
Liz McGowan, defending, said: “My client made a critical error, the first error he has made since he moved to this country from Afghanistan eight years ago.
“He has never claimed benefit, he tells me, he has three young children under eight and he made this terrible error.”
Habib, of Roman Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, was fined £250 with £100 costs, and six points on his licence.
The court then heard that on December 11 last year, three officers flagged a taxi down at around 1.40am on Acklam Road.
The driver, Khan, asked where they wanted to go and quoted them £7.80 for the journey into town.
Defending himself in court, dad-of-four Khan apologised for “making a stupid mistake”, adding that his actions were completely out of character.
“I’ve been doing taxis for seven years now and it was really stupid of me.”
Khan, of Windsor Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, was fined £415 and ordered to pay £122 costs. He also received six points on his licence.
All three will appear before the council’s committee in the coming months where they will face possible licence suspensions.
Only hackney carriages can sit at a taxi rank waiting for customers, or stop if flagged down by a member of the public.
source:
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... s-12977541
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