Taxi driver loses licence after women complain over behaviour
A WEST Somerset taxi driver’s licence has been revoked after four women claimed that he hugged, kissed and made sexual advances to them. West Somerset Council has banned the driver after an investigation by council officers into reports of his inappropriate behaviour.
A council spokesman said this week that licensing officers had reached their verdict “on the balance of probabilities” and were satisfied that the man, who they did not name, was no longer fit to hold a licence The officers heard from four witnesses that the man had stored the phone numbers of women he met while driving his taxi in his personal mobile phone and sent flirtatious and, on occasions explicit, text messages.
It was also claimed that he made inappropriate comments to women about their appearance and had hugged, kissed and touched women passengers, making them feel uncomfortable. He was also alleged to have made sexual advances. The council spokesman said that, although the driver had voluntarily surrendered his licence during the course of the investigation, it was revoked immediately after the verdict and the man will not be able to return to work.
Cllr Keith Turner, lead member for housing, health and well-being, said: “The public has the right to feel safe when travelling in a licensed taxi. “This man’s passengers must have felt scared, to say the least, by his behaviour. “I hope people feel reassured that we will take swift and decisive action when incidents are reported to us. We simply will not tolerate such behaviour.”
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