Renton taxi driver refuses to pay fine Feb 17 2012 by Marc Mclean, Lennox Herald (main ed)
A TAXI driver refused to pay a police fine after being caught using his mobile phone behind the wheel.
Chris Miller, caught red-handed while driving along London Road in Glasgow in January last year, told officers: “I’m a free man of the land.”
The Renton man was hit with a financial penalty but refused to pay and last week landed before West Dunbartonshire Council’s licensing chiefs as he tried to renew his taxi licence.
Police licensing sergeant George Stewart said: “The applicant initially denied the offence, although then stated he had called a friend.
“He was offered a fixed penalty but he refused, stating he was a free man of the land and did not come under the statute of the law.”
Miller had previously been caught committing the same offence on Paisley Road in Glasgow in September 2010, but told police he had to use his phone to receive details of hires.
Four months earlier, Miller had also landed in trouble with the law for boozing in Balloch Park.
Police issued fines for each offence, which Miller did not pay. However, he later appeared in court over the fines and it was discovered police had been sending letters to the wrong address.
Miller told the committee: “I’ve now paid the fines and the court agreed I hadn’t received the letters. I do respect the rules of the road and, by applying for a taxi licence, I accept everything that goes with it. I’ve since got a hands-free kit.”
Councillor Jim Brown asked: “You said you were a free man of the land and didn’t come under the statute of the law. Can you expand on that?”
Miller replied: “I had been given some advice about the law. I came out with that not knowing the ramifications of what I was saying.”
Councillors renewed Miller’s taxi licence for a year.
http://www.lennoxherald.co.uk/dunbarton ... -30329101/
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