Fine for driver after failure to declare conviction to Uttlesford District CouncilA WOULD-be taxi driver who failed to disclose a previous criminal conviction on his application for an Uttlesford hackney carriage and private hire licence has been convicted at Chelmsford Magistrates Court.
Andrew Black, from Watford, was applying for a permit from the district council in order to work for a local cab company.
Black was fined £117 after making an early guilty please. He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £20 and pay £300 towards the council's costs.
He did not mention a previous conviction which he was obliged to disclose on his application – although he did disclose other convictions on his application.
However the council became aware of the conviction from a Disclosure and Barring Service check carried out for all applicants.
Despite withdrawing his application before his application was considered by the licensing and environmental health committee, Uttlesford District Council felt that there were aggravating features to his case and concluded that in the public interest there was a sound reason to prosecute.
Cllr Doug Perry, chairman of the licensing committee, said: “Applicants for licences are required to inform the council of all previous convictions. It is foolish of them not to do so as the council does carry out DBS checks which will reveal the convictions. We believed that the failure to disclose this conviction as required on the application was a deliberate act of dishonesty on his part, rather than mere inadvertence as can be the case.
“We felt it appropriate to bring a prosecution even though the application for the licence was withdrawn so that any other local authority he may apply to in the future for a licence, would be aware of the position.”
source:
http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/ ... 103038.htm
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