Decision to revoke private hire driver's licence after convictions for violence upheldhttps://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/no ... e-17454244David White had appealed against his private hire licence being taken away from him but a judge said he was 'not a fit and proper person'A private hire driver failed in his bid to reclaim his licence after he received two criminal convictions for violence.
The driver, David White, had appealed against a decision made by Sunderland City Council' s Regulatory Committee to remove his licence.
The committee oversees 1,200 Sunderland licences and had heard evidence how White, of Whitehouse Lane, North Shields, had been convicted of common assault in January 2019.
White had already received a warning from the committee after a conviction for common assault in January 2017.
While neither of the offences involved violence against passengers, at its March 2019 meeting the committee revoked his licence and ruled he was not considered to be a 'fit and proper person' to hold a private hire vehicle driver's licence.
White then lodged an appeal at Sunderland Magistrates' Court. The appeal was heard in June and magistrates upheld the council's decision.
He then lodged a further appeal that would have to be heard by a judge and two magistrates at Crown Court.
That appeal was heard on Friday December 13 and the council's decision was again upheld.
In making the decision, Judge Amanda Rippon said: "The burden is on the appellant to satisfy the court that he is, on balance, a ‘fit and proper’ person.
"Taking into account all we heard and read about the appellant we were not satisfied on balance that he was, at the moment, a ‘fit and proper person’."
Fiona Brown, the City Council's executive director of neighbourhoods, said : "We are extremely pleased that the Crown Court dismissed this appeal and by doing so upheld the decision that had been taken by our Regulatory Committee in March, 2019."
In the last three years, the council has revoked 19 drivers’ licences. Reasons include penalty points, or convictions or cautions for driving offences, dishonesty and violence.
Chair of the Regulatory Committee, Councillor James Blackburn said: "The committee does not take the decision to revoke a licence lightly. These are significant decisions.
"Councillors who sit on this important committee have a duty to protect public safety and to ensure that residents, visitors and those working across Sunderland have confidence that when they use one of our licensed vehicles and drivers their journey will be safe.
"In discharging their licensing functions, public safety is the paramount consideration. Drivers of hackney carriages and private hire vehicles will occasionally encounter challenging passengers.
"There is an expectation that licensed drivers will behave in a calm manner at all times. There must be confidence that drivers do not engage in any conduct that threatens or puts at risk public safety."
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