"Meecham appeared agitated. He said it was his vehicle, but he was not the registered owner. He couldn't carry the man as a passenger because he had no licence. He said he was doing his wife a favour," said Mr Perry.

Fine for unlicensed taxi driver caught at Stansted Airport



AN unlicensed private hire driver who picked up a passenger at Stansted Airport has been fined £200 by magistrates and ordered to pay £320 in legal costs.

Barry Meecham, 61, of Latchmore Bank, Great Hallingbury, told a police officer he was doing it as a favour to his wife who did have an Uttlesford District Council (UDC) private hire licence.

Meecham did not attend Chelmsford Magistrates Court today (Wednesday, May 29) or enter a plea to the offence of using a private hire vehicle without a current licence on January 13 this year and magistrates found the case proved in his absence.

Prosecutor Michael Perry, for UDC, told the court a police officer on mobile patrol saw a man with a suitcase waiting near the Radisson Blu Hotel about 8pm and told him he should not be waiting in that area to be picked up. He then saw a Renault Trafic MPV, bearing an UDC licence plate, arrive and the waiting man got in.

The prosecutor said the officer spoke to the driver, Meecham, who said he did not have a private hire licence, but his wife did and it was her business.

"Meecham appeared agitated. He said it was his vehicle, but he was not the registered owner. He couldn't carry the man as a passenger because he had no licence. He said he was doing his wife a favour," said Mr Perry.

He added that Meecham's wife then arrived in another vehicle and she took the customer.

http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/ ... 113329.htm

At Manchester Airport they have a special parking area at T1 for the unlicensed drivers at PCS whilst Manchester City Council and the Airport itself pretend that they are licensed. Still, money talks.