Taxi Driver Online

A MAN convicted of driving with bogus insurance documents has been granted a licence to drive mini-cabs by St Albans magistrates. They overturned a decision by St Albans District Council on Wednesday to refuse him a private hire licence after hearing how he had been duped.

The court heard that Idris Siddique, aged 26, of Wexham Close, Luton, had been turned down by the council because he had two previous convictions - one for using an insurance document with intent to deceive on December 25, 2002, and one a week later for driving while uninsured.

But Tim Scarisbrick, for Siddique, said the two convictions were linked. He explained that Siddique had been sold dud insurance documents by a man selling door-to-door in August 2002. Siddique, who had only passed his driving test seven months previously, paid the man £800 to insure his two-litre, high-performance car.

He was stopped by the police and when he presented his driving documents at the police station on Christmas Day the computers were down and he was told to leave his insurance document there to be sent away for verification.

Siddique carried on driving and was stopped again a week later and again asked to produce his documents. It was discovered by then that the insurance document was fraudulent and so he was also charged with driving while uninsured.

Mr Scarisbrick said his client had pleaded guilty to the offences back in 2003 because he was not legally represented and thought he had no alternative. But he told the court that Siddique, who holds a liquor licence for a shop in Luton, was a fit and proper person to hold a mini-cab licence.

He called Mr Ilyas Khan, aged 38, of Alma Road, St Albans, to give evidence on his client's behalf. Mr Khan, who owns Arena Taxis, said he had known Siddique and his father for a long time and had offered him work once he gained a private hire licence.

He said: "Mr Siddique is guilty of being a poor communicator and is somewhat na*ve but he is not dishonest or I would not be jeopardising my business by offering him work."

Magistrates' chairman David Phillips commended the council's licensing department for seeking to protect the public by denying Siddique a licence but he decided to uphold his appeal.

He said: "Because of the background information we have heard today we believe he has been guilty of naivety but we do consider him a fit and proper person to hold a licence."

Magistrates refused an appeal for costs to be awarded against the council saying the licensing department had acted correctly.

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