Taxi Driver Online

How did he get a cab licence with 66 previous convictions?

Indeed, Roy - it's normally the punters with the 66 convictions who go on to batter taxi drivers who are slightly jaw-dropping

You'd think there would be as many questions over that as the case itself, but no mention of that so far...

Slightly more detailed article here, and more about the incident and his personal circumstances. But no more detail about the 66 convictions, and whether that was any impediment to getting a badge, or how long he's had it, whether any offences while he's had a badge, etc, etc:


Belfast taxi driver who threatened passenger over drug debt with fake gun while on cocaine is jailed

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news ... 10518.html

A former Fonacab taxi driver who assaulted and threatened a front seat passenger with an imitation firearm whilst he was under the influence of cocaine was jailed for 10 months today.

Brian Alexander Stalford — who admitted he was “acting the hardman” — will spend an additional 10 months on licence when is released from custody.

The 49-year-old father-of-two, from Park Avenue in east Belfast, pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and was sentenced by Judge Donna McColgan KC.

During today's hearing, it emerged that Stalford issued the threat to the front seat passenger over a drugs debt.

His barrister Sean Devine said the "supreme irony" of the incident was that Stalford issued the threat to pay off his own drugs debt, and was under the influence of cocaine at the time.

Belfast Crown Court heard that between March and June 2023, Stalford worked as a taxi driver for Fonacabs in Belfast.

On a date between March 1 and June 2, 2023, dashcam footage was recorded in his vehicle of himself driving with two male passengers on board in Holywood.

The recording captured Stalford in possession of an imitation handgun resembling a 'Desert Eagle' self-loading pistol.

During the journey, whilst brandishing the imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, Stalford told the front seat passenger “you are lucky I'm not taking your f*****g knees out as that's the mood I'm in”.

Stalford also told the male “what happens in the car stays in the car” and threatened to take his head off.

After making a reference to the male's friend, who was in the back seat of the taxi, Stalford then struck the front seat passenger in the face with the imitation firearm.

Following this, Stalford told the front seat passenger to “do what you do and you make up what you f*****g need to make up quickly. You work your f*****g debt off.”

This, the court heard, was in relation to a drugs debt.

Revealing how the footage came to be in the public domain was not known, Judge McColgan said Stalford was arrested on June 1, 2023.

During an interview with police, he gave a “no comment” response but did provide a pre-prepared statement in which he denied being in possession of an imitation firearm and assaulting anyone.

Instead, he made the case that the item he had was a toy, and claimed that the two males in the taxi knew they were being recorded and consented to the actions that took place.

Judge McColgan said that whilst the two passengers did not cooperate with the police investigation and did not make statements, they did not consent to what occurred.

Crown barrister Natalie Pinkerton set out several aggravations which included the threat made to the front seat passenger and an assault on the same male with the imitation firearm.

She added that the two passengers were unable to escape from the taxi during the incident.

Defence barrister Sean Devine, instructed by solicitor Mark Austin, branded the case as "highly unusual" and spoke of a "supreme irony".

This, he said, was that the very behaviour Stalford was berating the front-seat passenger about was precisely why he found himself in that predicament — he was working off his own debt due to a "very substantial" cocaine addiction by calling in another debt.

Mr Devine also revealed that due to his actions, Stalford both lost his employment and his long-term employability.

Despite his initial denials, Stalford pleaded guilty to the charge and told a Probation Officer it occurred during a chaotic period in his life.

He told Probation that at the time he was abusing cocaine on a daily basis which made him feel “confident” and “invincible”.

Stalford said a friend had left the imitation firearm in his vehicle and that on the day in question he was under the influence of cocaine and used the item in an attempt to intimidate the front-seat passenger to pay money he owed to a friend.

In addition, Stalford told Probation the threatening behaviour was “out of character” and that he was 'acting the hardman'.

Noting Stalford has 66 previous convictions, Judge McColgan said this included two prior charges for possessing an offensive weapon.

She also noted that Stalford has expressed remorse and regret for his behaviour and has displayed victim empathy regarding the impact his actions will have had on both passengers.

Addressing Stalford as he stood in the dock, Judge McColgan imposed the 20-month sentence and told him this was being split equally between prison and licence.

This is Northern Ireland.

_________________
IDFIMH

Well this is certainly unsurprising, but it's all pretty predictable stuff for people who know about all this kind of thing...

And little more about the nitty gritty of what the previous 66 convictions were, except that a couple of them were for possession of an offensive weapon...


Calls for tighter vetting after taxi driver got licence despite having 66 previous convictions

Call comes after it was revealed Brian Stalford, who was jailed over cab assault, had 66 previous convictions

There have been calls for a review of the vetting of taxi drivers in Northern Ireland, after a court was told that a licensed driver who threatened two men with a weapon had 66 previous convictions.

Brian Stalford, assaulted and threatened a front seat passenger with what the court was told was an imitation firearm last June.

Earlier this month Stalford who admitted he was “acting the hardman” at the time, was sentenced to 10 months in prison and an additional 10 months on licence when he is released from custody.

The 49-year-old father-of-two, from Park Avenue in east Belfast, pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and was sentenced by Judge Donna McColgan KC.

During the court hearing, it emerged that Stalford issued the threat to the front seat passenger over a drugs debt.

Belfast Crown Court heard that between March and June 2023, Stalford worked as a taxi driver for Fonacab in Belfast.

On a date between March 1 and June 2, 2023, dashcam footage was recorded in his taxi of him driving two male passengers in Holywood Co Down.

The recording captured Stalford in possession of an imitation handgun resembling a ‘Desert Eagle’ self-loading pistol.

During the journey, whilst brandishing the imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, Stalford told the front seat passenger: “You are lucky I’m not taking your f*****g knees out as that’s the mood I’m in”.

Stalford also told the male “what happens in the car stays in the car” and threatened to take his head off.

All public hire taxi drivers in Northern Ireland are required to pass a ‘repute’ check and pass an advanced Access NI vetting process with information on any previous convictions passed to the Department for Infrastructure, responsible for taxi licensing in Northern Ireland.

While a previous criminal conviction would not automatically ban a person from holding a taxi licence, convictions for violence and sexual crimes should in practice fail the ‘repute’ check for any potential drivers.

Among Stalford’s previous convictions were two for possession of an offensive weapon.

Following the high-profile case, women’s sector lobbyist Elaine Crory has called for a “review” of the vetting process.

“Vetting, and thorough vetting at that, is the bare minimum that we should expect and that we need for public safety,” she told the Belfast Telegraph.

“As we are becoming more aware of VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls), we have to consider the vulnerable position that lone women and girls are placed in when the board someone else’s vehicle, which is then centrally locked.”

Ms Crory, from Belfast’s Women’s Resource and Development Agency, pointed to the high profile case of taxi driver Jon Worboys, currently serving a full life sentence for dozens of rapes and sexual assaults carried out while working as a black cab driver in London.

Ms Crory added: “The very prominent case in England of a serial rapist who used his taxi to access and drug his victims should have taught us lessons about how taxi drivers are licensed and it’s very disturbing to realise that it has not.

“This needs to change and to be seen to change across the board for public confidence.”

DfI made no comment in relation to the Stalford case but a spokesperson said: “All taxi driver licence applicants must undergo a repute check, which is required in law to satisfy the Department that the applicant is a fit and proper person to hold a licence.

“As part of this process an applicant must provide an Access NI Enhanced Disclosure Certificate which is assessed by the Department using the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 as a reference guide.

“During the lifetime of the licence, failure to remain a fit and proper person may lead to the licence being suspended or revoked.

“It is a condition of the taxi driver licence that the licence holder must notify DVA immediately if convicted of any offence since the date of their last taxi driver licence application.

“Incurring a criminal conviction would not automatically result in the revocation of a taxi driver licence however each case will be considered on its own merits, with the overriding objective being to ensure that the public is not subjected to any unnecessary risk.”

In the case of Brian Stalford, his barrister Sean Devine told the court that due to his actions, Stalford both lost his employment and his long-term employability.

Noting Stalford has 66 previous convictions, Judge McColgan said this included two prior charges for possessing an offensive weapon.

Addressing Stalford as he stood in the dock, Judge McColgan imposed the 20-month sentence and told him this was being split equally between prison and licence.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Hughes said the sentencing “sends a message that the possession or use of firearms, imitation or otherwise, is unacceptable in any modern society”.