Taxi Driver Online

Cab driver had history of sex attacks

An East Finchley mini-cab company which gave work to a driver with a conviction for sexual assault said this week it would never have given him a job had it known about his past.

Stuart Knight, 47, from Bracken Close, Borehamwood a cab driver for Greater London Hire (GLH) in High Road was jailed for 30 months three weeks ago for sexually assaulting a woman in Trent Park, Barnet, in September last year.

He worked at GLH from May 2003 to October 2004 but was suspended when the firm learnt that police had taken him into custody.

It was his second conviction for sexual assault: the first came in 1985 when he sexually assaulted a woman in her home.

Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has tried to increase confidence in mini-cabs by introducing a criminal records check for all 40,000 minicab drivers in London.

But a Transport for London spokeswoman said that only about half of the drivers had been checked so far, and that Knight was one of the remaining 20,000 due to be checked by the end of the year.

Peter Ross, passenger car manager for GLH, said: "Obviously, had we known about the previous conviction, we would never have given him a job in the first place. We would have said,Thanks, but no thanks'.

"We like to think we run a very tight ship. He was driving with a temporary permit, so there is no way we would have known about his previous conviction, but with the new legislation that's come in, he would have been found out at some point."

The Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 requires all mini-cab drivers, their cars and the cab companies to be licensed.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I keep on saying it, but this person was obviously not a cab driver as the headline suggests.

He was apparently an unlicensed private hire driver.

You would have thought that the company involved would have checked the persons background in the absence of a PH Drivers license.

Regards

Captain cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Sorry Captain, but this scumbag was a 'minicab' driver, he worked for Greater London Cars, opposite East Finchley Tube Station.

Like most of their other drivers who park up outside the station (because their forecourt is too busy!) and ply for hire late at night, he was waiting on a permit, too late though, he's commited his crime.

Unlike Private Hire outside London, who have been Licensed for years, in London the small people have enjoyed a free for all since the concept of minicab's during the sixties.

This is a prime example of how the licensing process is really taking effect?

Livingstone scores another own goal.

I was agreeing with you

Captain cab

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin