Issue - meetings

Members were asked to consider and determine the continued fitness of Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 who had received a relevant complaint from a member of the public.

Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to make representation.

Committee papers and reports had been provided to all relevant parties prior to the meeting. 

The report detailed the following:

. A copy of the complainants detailed account of the witnessed incident.

. A copy of a delegated decision and suspension letter relating to Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336.

. A copy of a summary transcript of an interview with Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 and Licensing Officers detailing the complaint against him and his full explanation of the alleged incident.

The Chair introduced everyone present and explained the procedure to be followed during the hearing.

Members of the Council’s General Licensing Committee considered all of the information before them, full details of which appeared before the Members in their agenda and background papers.

Members heard that on 18th October 2023 the Licensing Office received a complaint in relation to Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336. The complainant stated they had just seen Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336  assault a female at Thornaby Train Station, and it appeared Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 was pulling at a female’s clothing while she was trying to get out of Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336’s vehicle. The complainant thought that the female was waiting for her friend to come and pay the fare for the journey.

Following the complaint an investigation into the matter commenced and a detailed account of the incident was obtained from the complainant alongside a video showing Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 following the female after she got out of Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336’s car and where Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 was calling her names.

Due to this evidence Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336’s licence to drive Hackney Carriage Vehicles was suspended on 23rd October 2023 in the interest of Public Safety via the Delegated Decision process.

Further enquires were undertaken such as requesting CCTV from Thornaby Train Station, and Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 was formally interviewed in relation to the matter on 22nd November 2023. During the interview Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 was asked a number of questions and gave his account of what happened during the incident.

Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 admitted to attempting to take the female to the police station, insulting her when she left the car, holding onto the female while the car was moving and driving an excessive distance with the door open in the car park. Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 denied hitting or assaulting the female. Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336  explained that he waited for the female’s friend to come and pay the fare and quickly realised no one was coming. Hackney Carriage Driver – 001336 then turned his vehicle around in the car park and advised the female that he was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30