Private hire driver 'had weapons' the night of Birmingham riotsA PRIVATE hire driver was caught with his face covered and found to have weapons in his car on one of the nights of the Birmingham riots.
On a separate occasion, another private hire cabbie was alleged to have sexually assaulted a female passenger.
Both men have had their private hire licences suspended until the court proceedings have finished.
Details of the two allegations were given to the city council’s licensing committee which is responsible for issuing private hire and Hackney Carriage licences.
Chris Neville, head of licensing, told councillors police stopped a private hire driver on August 8 – the second night of rioting – in Lawley Middleway, Bordesley. His face was “fully covered” and police found in his car a metal bar and a kitchen knife with a 12-inch blade.
He was charged with possessing an offensive weapon and a sharply pointed article.
Mr Neville said on August 8 in a separate incident, his officers were told by police that a female passenger alleged that a cabbie had sexually assualted her.
Court proceedings are ongoing against both men and until these are resolved, their private hire licences had been suspended, he said. A third driver also had his licence suspended after he collapsed and suffered a fit while attending an appointment at the licensing office on September 27.
He will have to undergo a medical before it is given back to him.
Mr Neville said officials acted quickly in the case of all three men as “the interests of public safety are paramount”.
Councillors were also told that during August, 11 private hire drivers went before magistrates accused of illegally plying for hire.
Only black cabs, Hackney Carriages, are allowed to pick up fares in the street. All private hire passengers have to be pre-booked.
Illegally plying for hire invalidates their insurance, so the 11 drivers were also prosecuted for this. Mr Neville said the 11 were all fined between £130 and £465 plus costs, and had points on their licences.
source: http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2011/11/03/private-hire-driver-had-weapons-the-night-of-birmingham-riots-97319-29710121/#ixzz1cp9iJXG3
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