'He was fooling his passengers': Fake taxi driver snared

Hanif was spotted by eagle-eyed Cambridgeshire council officers

A fake taxi driver will have to do community service after an investigation was sparked by eagle-eyed Cambridgeshire council officers.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s licensing team spotted the fake taxi badge after a scanned copy was submitted by Thames Valley Police for checking during a routine vehicle stop in Buckinghamshire back in February.

National taxi licensing rules mean drivers of hackney carriages, that are flagged down on the street, can be licensed in one area and ply for trade in others.

The council had already made Thames Valley Police aware of the possibility that a fraudulent South Cambridgeshire license was being used in their area, due to a previous tip off.

When licensing officers confirmed to police that the document being checked was indeed counterfeit, the driver, Mohammed Hanif from High Wycombe, was arrested.

In October, following a trial at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court, 38-year-old Hanif was found guilty of possessing and article for use in fraud, and must now carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, and pay Crown Court costs of £385.

The fake hackney carriage badge was seized and destroyed.

During the investigation, several properties were searched and council officers worked with police at a registered taxi office to check driver badges and car licence plates.

A second fake South Cambridgeshire badge was seized as evidence, along with revoked plates from another council from outside the area.

A South Cambridgeshire vehicle plate was also seized, and a council suspension notice issued, after police checks showed that the car no longer had the correct insurance to carry paying passengers.

Cllr Mark Howell, the council’s cabinet member for environmental health, said: “This sentence ends a year-long investigation that was sparked by the vigilance of our officers.

“We have exacting standards that drivers must meet to be granted a license for very good reason – because keeping people safe is our priority.

“Mr Hanif was fooling his passengers who had put their trust in him and believed they were getting into a properly licensed taxi.

“Our officers are constantly alert to this type of deception and we carry out frequent spot checks.

“Most of our local taxi drivers work hard and offer an excellent service. However, if anyone does have a concern about a vehicle or driver I’d urge them to get in touch.”

The council’s register of licensed taxi operators, drivers and vehicles is publicly available at http://www.scambs.gov.uk/taxi-licences

source: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/ca ... i-13876219

as a PH

This though is the natural consequence of cross border sooner or later drivers will try and save even more money by not bothering to license at all. one of my drivers has twice had his plate stolen outside his house and he lives in cambridgeshire ..............hmmmm (North though) I wonder if there is a gang operating in this part of the world obtaining plates and badges etc that they can modify

National taxi licensing rules mean drivers of hackney carriages, that are flagged down on the street, can be licensed in one area and ply for trade in others.

As you appear to believe that a TAXI(hackney carriage) licensed in 1 area can ply its trade in another area show me these rules,a TAXI can only ply its trade in the area it is licensed,plying for hire in another area is Illegal.

So I put the quote underneath a comment and you assume I’m agreeing with that quote !!!!!!