Durham City sting operation lands taxi driver in court for refusing 'disabled' customer's dog A STING operation landed a cabbie in court after he refused to accept a fare from a disabled customer with an assistance dog.
Durham County Council carried out the disability discrimination investigation after receiving reports that guide and assistance dogs were being refused by taxis in Durham.
During the operation a volunteer, assistance dog and a fair trade officer using covert recording equipment approached the rank at Leazes Road at about 10.30pm.
Kamila Coulson-Patel, prosecuting for the authority, told magistrates in Newton Aycliffe the volunteer asked to be taken to the Travelodge.
The driver, David Nattrass, asked the passenger where the dog would go and the volunteer suggested the footwell of the white Renault Megane.
But the court heard 63-year-old Nattrass refused the volunteer’s dog access saying he would have to clean the car and was on shift until 3am.
The mystery shopper then approached the next vehicle in the rank, which accepted the fare.
Appearing in court yesterday, the defendant, of Oswald Close, West Cornforth, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a duty in relation to an assistance dog for a disabled person on October 11.
The court heard in an interview he accepted he was the driver and refused the undercover customer access.
Representing himself, Nattrass said he refused the dog due to the time of his shift but accepted in the eyes of the law he was “100 per cent guilty”.
Nattrass, who has no previous convictions, was given a six-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay a £100 contribution towards costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
The county council hopes the case will act as a warning to other taxi drivers. Joanne Waller, head of environment, health and consumer protection said “Refusing to carry a passenger with an assistance dog is an offence under the Equality Act 2010.
“While we know the vast majority of the drivers we licence comply with this legislation, this prosecution proves we will take action against anyone who does not.”
According to recent research by national charity Guide Dogs, three in four assistance dog owners are refused access - with the most problematic instance being access to taxis.
Linda Oliver, engagement officer for North-East and Cumbria, said there have been a number of refusals in the region.
“Public transport and taxis are a really important way for a disabled person to get around,” she added.
The charity is calling on the government to introduce mandatory equality disability training for all taxi and mini cab drivers in the hope it will eliminate the issue.
source:
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/1 ... _39_s_dog/
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FAQ
, one at the rank, just drove past as i would have been the first car 
