Cabbie counts cost of charging taxi customer £5 too muchA TAXI driver who charged a customer £5 too much for a fare has been told by magistrates to pay £720 in fines and charges.
Mohammed Foyez, 31, unknowingly picked up an undercover council officer on November 4.
Two officers had approached the taxi as it was sat outside the Oxygen nightclub and got into the cab. They asked to be taken to Morriston and Foyez replied: "Jump in".
He asked for £15 upfront and drove them to Woodfield Street.
The officers got out at 4.29am and were not given any change.
FaultyThey had seen he had not turned the meter on and went to his home five days later, telling him they wanted to check the meter as a fault had been reported.
He told them it had not been faulty and that the regulated council tariffs were pre-set into the meter. The officers then checked the distance he had travelled and said the 3.5-mile journey should have cost around £9 to £10.
LessonPatrick Llewellyn, for Foyez, of Middle Road, Cwmbwrla, said his client had admitted that he had parked near the nightclub and not in the permitted taxi bays because he knew he was more likely to get a fare if he parked there.
"It's been a salutary lesson for him," said Mr Llewellyn.
He was fined a total of £400 and £320 in costs and charges.
He had admitted being a driver or proprietor taking a greater fare than authorised, driving in a street and causing an obstruction and contravening a bylaw.
source:
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