The family of a London drug smuggler, due to be executed in China has appealed for compassion.
Akmal Shaikh, a 51 year old licensed private hire driver and minicab operator, who lived in North West London, was arrested in September 2007 in Urumqi, north-west China, carrying a suitcase containing 4kg of heroin.
Law charity Reprieve said it is very clear to all involved that Mr Shaikh has a severe mental disorder.
Strange that TfL/PCO never picked this up when he applied for a Private hire drivers license and later an operators license for a company he ran in Kentish Town.
This comes hot on the heals of the controversial decision by TfL to let a wife murderer with a further police caution for assault become a private hire driver and amazingly sign on to do the Knowledge of London.
With rapes and serious sexual assaults in minicabs running at over 6-8 a month for the past 10 years, surely it is time for a public inquiry into how these drivers are being left to slip through the net by the licensing authority. London Assembly member Jenny Jones, has spoke of her concerns regarding the amount of assaults and rapes of single female passengers travailing home at night after being touted outside London Clubs.
Ms Jones has said she intends to visit the West End late one night this week, to see for herself how widespread this problem is.
Its quite easy to stop this Ms Jones.
Just tell the passengers to make sure they get into a Licensed Black Cab, and not an uninsured, illegally parked, unlawfully ranked, mini cab.
Hot of the press from Cpl Jones.
