Private-hire driver convicted of refusing to take blind man and guide dog homeA PRIVATE-HIRE driver has been found guilty of not allowing a blind man into his car because he had a guide dog — in one of the first prosecutions of its kind in Bolton.
Shahzad Bahadar, who worked for Metro, was convicted at Bolton Magistrates Court following a trial for refusing to take Craig Slater home after shopping at Asda in Astley Bridge.
Under the Equality Act 2010, private-hire drivers must allow blind people with guide dogs into their car, but can choose to reject jobs from people with ordinary pets.
Bahadar has denied one charge of private hire vehicle operator fail to accept booking for vehicle by disabled person accompanied by assistance dog.
The Bolton News previously reported on how Mr Slater had problems with private-hires on a number of occasions, and Metro owner Nick Astley said he would 'come down like a tonne of bricks' on any driver who refused.
Bahadar, who still works as a driver for Union Cars, was fined £500 by magistrates, and will be hauled before Bolton Council’s licensing committee in the coming months who could take his badge from him.
Mr Slater told the court that he has since lost his dog because he was 'depressed' as a result of the incident, and that he did not take it out for walks as often as he should. He added that the incident had caused him to lose confidence and that he was 'angry'.
The court was told that Mr Slater had gone shopping on April 26 last year, and was assisted by Asda employee Joshua Morrissey around the store. Mr Slater then rang the Metro Private-hires phone in the store for a private-hire, and Bahadar arrived.
But when he saw Mr Slater’s guide dog, a golden retriever named Thomas which was wearing a fluorescent jacket, he said “no dog”. Bahadar, who spoke to the court via an interpreter, said that he had an agreement with his employers that he would not have to complete jobs with dogs in his car, however legally this could not extend to guide dogs.
Mr Morrissey said Bahadar was 'irate' and that he repeatedly said 'no dog'. Bahadar rejected the job on his in-car computer, which informed him of current jobs, and drove off.
In court, Paula Grime, a manager at Metro who was working from the company’s base at the time, said she contacted Bahadar to inform him he must take Mr Slater and his guide dog, but he refused.
Bahadar was hauled into the office by Metro, and later left the company.
Miss Grime said: “He point blank refused to take the job even after we explained to him he must take the job.”
Mr Slater was taken home by another Metro private-hire.
Arriving in court aided by a cane and a member of staff, Mr Slater, aged 28, said he had informed the private-hire firm he had a guide dog beforehand.
He said: “I told them I needed a private-hire and explained I needed a guide dog. I spoke to the lady and she said that's not a problem.”
Mr Slater said that having the guide dog had increased his confidence and that he had been able to attend a college course on the train as a result.
He added: “I felt angry and upset that someone would refuse access for dogs that have been specifically trained.
“I felt desperate and it made me think whether it was worth having a guide dog.”
In his defence, Bahadar claimed that he did not know it was a guide dog, and that he would not have refused Mr Slater if he was aware.
But chairman of the bench Roy Davies said his evidence was “inconsistent and disjointed”.
He added: “We found that beyond reasonable doubt you failed to collect Mr Slater and you were fully aware that he had a guide dog.”
Bahadar, aged 37, of Lily Street, Heaton, was also ordered to pay costs of £800 and a victim surcharge of £50. The fees will be paid back at a rate of £50 per month.
The prosecution brought by Bolton Council is the second of its kind, and the first which has gone to a full trial.
More cases are expected to be brought against private-hire drivers in the coming months.
source:
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/142 ... _dog_home/
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