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Truro magistrates impose ban on A2B taxi driver
https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/1 ... xi-driver/
A TAXI driver has been banned from the roads after committing a series of offences.
Ian Tienwoh Franklin, aged 49, c/o Silverdale Road, Falmouth, admitted using a mobile phone whilst working as a self-employed driver for A2B Taxis.
He had already accrued ten points from three previous speeding offences and appeared before Truro magistrates to plead a case for extreme hardship if they decided to ban him under the totting system.
Franklin told magistrates that he is responsible for two children and also "given current circumstances" is having to help his elderly parents with shopping.
He said that a driving ban this summer would "greatly reduce" the quality of life of the children, who live with him and his partner.
Franklin, who has one arm, said he often works up to 70 hours a week, many jobs of which involve hospital deliveries.
He said the speeding offences had occurred at the roadworks on Bodmin Moor, having done around 70,000 miles and around 900 transits in both directions on that stretch of road last year.
On November 9, when he was caught using a mobile phone, he was picking up a patient in Falmouth for West Cornwall Ambulance Service.
He had been unable to find the patient's house and balanced his phone on his shoulder whilst receiving more information on the location of the property.
Franklin, who admitted he used "bad judgement", was spoken to by police, before completing his job in taking the patient to Accident & Emergency at Treliske.
Magistrates left the courtroom to deliberate last Tuesday, before returning to disqualify Franklin for six months.
He was fined £60 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £32 victim surcharge.
