If you want to get your head round this then it doesn't really lend itself to skim reading
But an interesting example of how the licence thing is dependent on a criminal conviction - or, more specifically, on the sentence the licence holder here receives
And, at another level of detail, interesting how the council obviously thinks different standards should apply to his badge and operator's licence, and to that extent the sentence received should decide whether he loses his operator's licence. But his badge is gone anyway, irrespective of the sentence.
But then it looks like he would lose the op's licence if he received a custodial sentence, even if suspended. But he doesn't receive a custodial sentence, but he loses the op's licence anyway
But both the badge and op's licence are under appeal to the magistrates' court...
Or something like that
(Presentational note - there doesn't seem to be a photo of the licence holder here, as opposed to the main perp in the drugs thing.)
LEAP Taxis loses licence after cannabis farm in house
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... arm-house/
A BRADFORD taxi boss who allowed a house to be used as a cannabis farm has lost his licence.
But Imran Khan avoided prison after a judge noted that whilst he took an opportunity to make money, he was not “entrenched” in the criminal justice system.
Bradford Crown Court previously heard how Khan, 39, of Laisteridge Lane in Little Horton, rented out a neighbouring house that was used for a £210,000 cannabis grow.
He had pleaded guilty to permitting premises to be used for the production of cannabis but Her Honour Judge Sophie McKone delayed sentence after hearing that a prison sentence would impact him, his company, or the drivers that work for it.
'You have paid a high price by involving yourself in criminality'
On Tuesday, Judge McKone made Khan the subject of a two-year community order and said he must carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and undertake 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
She noted: “You did own a successful taxi firm, and you have now lost your licence not only to operate your own taxi but to operate that taxi firm as well.
“By your actions you have paid a high price by involving yourself in this criminality.”
LEAP taxis loses licence
A spokesperson for Bradford Council confirmed that the Operator Licence for LEAP has been revoked, as has Khan’s Private Hire Driver Licence.
Both are under appeal and will be heard at Bradford Magistrates’ Court next month.
Co-defendant jailed
Last month, a co-defendant in the case, 38-year-old Hai Thu Pham, was sentenced to 31 months in prison for helping to manage a large-scale cannabis operation involving multiple grows at separate addresses in Bradford, Halifax, and Leeds.
Image: West Yorkshire Police/Bradford Telegraph & Argus/Archive.is
One of those addresses was on Laisteridge Lane – the property owned by Khan.
Prosecutor Abigail Langford told the court how he received rental income from Pham - who was working as part of the wider operation, growing cannabis.
Police smash cannabis grows
Between November 2020 and June 2022, a number of “significant” cannabis grows were found at various locations including in Bradford.
The police investigation focused on locating a vulnerable Vietnamese national and officers raided addresses including at Granville Road and Crown Street in Bradford, Summer Street in Halifax, and Copperfield View in Leeds.
In total, police seized 2,300 cannabis plants, with an estimated yield of 140kg, from properties across West Yorkshire.
At Laisteridge Lane, they found two crops of cannabis totalling 406 plants with an estimated yield of 21kg and a street valuation of £210,000 or between £63,000 and £126,000 if sold wholesale.
There was evidence of a previous grow inside the same house.
There were further grows at a unit in Crown Street where 1,475 plants were discovered being grown, at Westgate Hill Street (176 plants), Granville Road (255 plants), Summer Street (141 plants), and at Copperfield View (90 plants).
'This was not simply a one-off'
The court heard that Pham had cannabis at her home address at Burwood Gate in Queensbury.
She was connected to the other properties either by a mobile phone linked to others arrested at the scene and was paying council tax at other locations and bills at Laisteridge Lane.
Miss Langford said: “This was part of the organised enterprise that was being run and Miss Pham played her significant role in.
“[Imran Khan] must have known about that because the prosecution would put the question [of] why Miss Pham would be paying bill for that property when it was in fact owned by this defendant.”
She added: “There was evidence of a previous grow [at Laisteridge Lane]. This was not simply a one-off.”
House 'rented for drug use'
Mitigating, Ian Hudson said although Khan had rented the house to Pham he himself was not involved in the production of cannabis and had “no active role in drug activity”.
Referencing the house at 9 Laisteridge Lane, Her Honour Judge Sophie McKone observed: “It wasn’t being rented for a family to move in.
"It was being rented for drug use, and the bills were being paid.
"So the premises were being permitted primarily for drug activity.”
Mr Hudson replied: “It isn’t a case where there were various people living in there who were employed or going to college.
"There was one room with a bed and a mattress in.
"The other rooms were either vacant or had cannabis in them.”
He asked the court to balance that against Khan not having an active role in the actual growing of the cannabis.
LEAP has 100 drivers
Mr Hudson told the court how Khan’s father owned a taxi company from 1980 and Khan was himself a driver.
Mr Hudson said: “[Imran Khan] then bought a variety of companies and formed a taxi company called LEAP.
“He has over 100 drivers working for him, albeit on a self-employed basis, and four members of permanent staff.
“He has been in discussions with the local council.
"As a result of his conviction, the council has stopped his own ability to be a taxi driver, and he received a ten-year suspension in respect of that.
“He is continuing to discuss with the council his operator’s licence.
“Nothing has been set in stone … but there have been discussions to which it is clear from the council that if he were to receive a custodial sentence or a suspended sentence, then that would inevitably lead to his licence for that company being revoked and that company collapsing”
Mr Hudson said the imposition of a community type order could have “a more favourable outcome” in terms of the operator’s licence.
The court heard that Khan had no previous convictions.
'You saw an opportunity to make money, and you took it'
Being mindful of the repercussions for Khan and others if his business was to collapse due to the imposition of a custodial sentence, even if that was suspended, Judge McKone asked for clarity from the council over the possible revocation of Khan’s operation licence.
She adjourned sentence to June 23 pending further information.
On that day, she told Khan: “Hai Thu Pham organised using residential premises solely for the purpose of growing cannabis.
“You rented out a house to Pham knowing full well that it was going to be used to grow cannabis.”
She added: “Cannabis is not a harmless drug. It’s not just harmful to the person that takes it; it’s harmful to the community at large.
“And an example of that is in this case when properties are being rented for the sole purpose of growing cannabis.
“Cannabis does bring misery to those who take it and the community who are adversely affected by the growing of [it].
“You helped in that regard to continue the trade in that misery.
“The author of the [Probation Service] pre-sentence reports believes that you acted out of naivety - and were over-trusting - rather than criminal intent.
“Of course by your plea you accept that you’ve allowed those premises to be used but I accept that you are not somebody who is entrenched in the criminal justice system.
“You saw an opportunity to make money, and you took it.”
