Cambridge minicab driver Kamal Hussain fined and disqualified from driving after accepting fare from undercover officersA Cambridge minicab driver has been disqualified from driving for six months after being found guilty of plying for hire in a private hire vehicle.
Kamal Hussain, 43, of Caithness Court, Cambridge, was also found guilty at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court of driving a motor vehicle without third party insurance as his minicab was not insured for hackney carriage use.
Hussain’s licence was endorsed with eight penalty points, which prompted disqualification due to an existing six points for previous offences.
Hussain, who pleaded not guilty, was also ordered to pay a total of £1,420, which consisted of £200 for each offence, £1,000 towards the prosecution’s costs and a £20 surcharge.
The incident occurred on November 15 last year when the defendant accepted a fare at 11pm from witnesses Will Vincent and Robert Thornton and took them from The Fountain Inn on Regent Street to the Travelodge at Cambridge Leisure.
At the time Mr Vincent and Mr Thornton were carrying out checks on private hire cars plying for trade in a Cambridge City Council operation called ‘Operation Cossack’.
Under road traffic law, a private hire vehicle can only give lifts to people who have booked an appointment and given their name in advance, whereas drivers of hackney carriages can accept any fare.
Rory Clarke, prosecuting, stressed Hussain broke “taxi regulations” as he accepted the fare in the knowledge his insurance did not cover plying for hire.
Explaining the operation, special constable Thornton said: “We were to go up to private hire vehicles, ask if they were free and then ask them to take us to the Travel Lodge and how much it would cost.”
Mike Magee, defending, argued Hussain had been resting when approached by the men, proceeded to ask if they had booked and only accepted the short-distance fare out of sympathy after the two men complained about the cold weather and repeatedly pleaded with him.
He added that because of Hussain’s limited understanding of English, he did not fully understand the questions or caution issued by police and council officers after being pulled over at the Travelodge.
However district judge Ken Sheraton said to Hussain: “You knew full well what you were doing when you accepted the fare to take the two witnesses to the hotel. You would have known you weren’t insured in taking them the way you did.”
He maintained he was satisfied Hussain’s level of English was “far higher” than he would let on and added: “I am satisfied that Mr Hussain took the fare willingly without being incited, pressured or wheedled. I am also quite sure he understood the questions put to him as set out in the interview that he signed.”
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