Taxi Driver Online

Tredegar man drove private hire car without licence

A TREDEGAR man was disqualified from driving and fined after admitting driving a private hire car without a licence. James Henry Williams, 72, and his step-daughter Paula Blanchard, 43, both of Rhoslan, appeared in Caerphilly magistrates’ court on Monday.

Williams admitted driving an unlicensed private hire vehicle and having no private hire vehicle insurance. Blanchard admitted allowing Williams to work as a private hire driver without a licence.

Representing Blaenau Gwent council Andrea Jones said acting on a tip off that Williams was driving a private hire car, licensing officers attended an address in Rassau on May 18 to confirm whether the information was correct. They saw Williams pick up a fare in a two-door red Ford Fiesta.

On the following night Williams collected the same passenger in a black Nissan X Trail. Williams was pulled over and the passenger confirmed he was paying Williams to drive him to work.

The court heard Williams ran Tredegar-based Feb’s Taxis until 2006 when he lost his private hire licence due to ill-health and Blanchard took over the business. Ms Jones said the red Ford Fiesta belonged to Blanchard, but neither the Ford nor the Nissan were licensed private hire vehicles.

Ben Blakemore, representing both defendants, said there was nothing unsafe about Williams’s driving or either vehicle, they were just unsuitable as private hire vehicles. He said the passenger knew Williams and it was not a case of the public being “hoodwinked” by an unlicensed driver.

Mr Blakemore said Blanchard pleaded guilty as she owned the red Ford Fiesta, but she was not aware that Williams had used it. Magistrates endorsed Williams’s driving licence with six points for driving without insurance, incurring a six-month disqualification as he already had six points on his licence.

He was also fined £250. No separate penalty was imposed for the other charges. Blanchard was fined £350. Both defendants were ordered to pay £250 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

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