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| Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24377 |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Fri May 09, 2014 10:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe |
Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe A DISGRACED former district councillor is to be subject to an intensive financial investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act after running a private hire taxi firm without a licence. David Wise, who has resigned his seat as an Independent member for Southam on Stratford District Council, had been prosecuted by the council as the taxi licensing authority. The 52-year-old, of Priors Meadow, Southam, was convicted by Nuneaton magistrates of a total of ten offences relating to his Southam-based private hire business Premier Cars. The court heard that last year he operated Vauxhall Insignia and Citroen C3 cars as private hire vehicles within Stratford District without a licence. He was also convicted of operating private hire vehicles when the drivers, Gary Price, Simon Jones and his own mother Joyce Wise, did not have current taxi driver’s licence, and permitting Mrs Wise and Mr Jones to use cars which were uninsured. In addition Wise was convicted of failing to keep proper records while he was a person to whom a private hire operator’s licence had been granted. His case was committed to be dealt with at Warwick Crown Court to enable a confiscation order to be made against him under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which cannot be done by magistrates. And at the crown court the council’s barrister asked for the case to be adjourned for a financial investigation to be carried out prior to confiscation proceedings under the Act. Because the offences carry only a financial penalty, Wise has to be sentenced in conjunction with the Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings. Under the Act, Wise’s benefit from his illegal activity and the amount he has available to be confiscated will be assessed before an order is made. So Judge Alan Parker adjourned the case until some time in August for the financial investigation to take place, and Wise was granted bail. But the judge warned him that although the offences can be dealt with only by fines, if he failed to turn up for the next hearing he could be facing prison for a Bail Act offence. Read more: http://www.stratfordobserver.co.uk/2014 ... 05749.html |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Sat May 10, 2014 7:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe |
captain cab wrote: But the judge warned him that although the offences can be dealt with only by fines, if he failed to turn up for the next hearing he could be facing prison for a Bail Act offence. And if he doesn't pay his fines/costs he could well be banged up for that. |
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| Author: | bloodnock [ Sat May 10, 2014 8:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe |
Quote: running a private hire taxi firm without a licence How could they have a licence as there is no such line of business...Private hire yes or a Taxi Firm yes, but not a Private hire Taxi firm or it would simply be a Taxi firm doing private hire work. 
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| Author: | billybobs [ Mon May 19, 2014 8:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe |
bloodnock wrote: Quote: running a private hire taxi firm without a licence How could they have a licence as there is no such line of business...Private hire yes or a Taxi Firm yes, but not a Private hire Taxi firm or it would simply be a Taxi firm doing private hire work. Arrow cars at Mcr Airport call themselves Taxi private hire. |
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| Author: | captain cab [ Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe |
Unlicensed minicab firm conviction costs former councillor £32,000 A DISGRACED former Stratford-on-Avon district councillor has been ordered to pay out almost £32,000 after being convicted of running his private hire firm without a licence. David Wise, who resigned his seat on the council following his conviction, had been prosecuted by the council as the local taxi licensing authority. Wise, aged 52, of Priors Meadow, Southam, had been convicted by Nuneaton magistrates last year of a total of ten offences relating to his Southam-based private hire business Premier Cars. And at Coventry Crown Court the former Conservative, and latterly Independent, councillor for Southam was fined a total of £9,500 and banned from driving for nine months. Recorder Bernard Thorogood also ordered him to pay the council’s costs totalling £5,438.08 after rejecting a submission by Wise’s solicitor, Nicholas Aldridge, that £600 costs was ‘a fair figure’. Wise was given six months to pay the fines and costs, and Recorder Thorogood ordered that he should serve six months in prison in default of payment should he not meet that deadline. Prosecutor Annabel Graham-Paul said it was agreed that Wise’s benefit from his unlicensed activities had been £17,000 and that he had sufficient realisable assets to cover that amount, which was ordered to be confiscated from Wise under the Proceeds of Crime Act, giving him 56 days to pay the full amount or face eight months imprisonment. Stratford District Council had launched an investigation into Wise’s business, which he ran from his home, after receiving a complaint about his activities. The court heard that in 2013 Wise had operated Vauxhall Insignia and Citroen C3 cars as private hire vehicles within Stratford district without a licence. He was also operating the private hire vehicles when the drivers, Gary Price, Simon Jones and his own mother, Joyce Wise, did not have current taxi driver’s licence, and permitting Mrs Wise and Mr Jones to use cars which were uninsured. In addition Wise had failed to keep proper records while he was a person to whom a private hire operator’s licence had been granted. Stratford District Council declined to comment. source: http://www.stratford-herald.com/34833-u ... 32000.html |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:34 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Disgraced ex-councillor to face finance probe |
I don't ever recall a similar 'Proceeds of Crime Order' for illegally running a PH firm. But hope to see many more. |
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