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Cabbie May Lose licence In Bias Case

26th September 2008

A Black Country cabbie who refused to pick up a blind woman and her guide dog could lose his licence in the first case of its kind in Dudley.

Sheraz Younas drove to Lesley Elwell’s house but refused to accept the fare when he spotted her labrador Freya, Dudley Magistrates Court was told.

The court heard that the driver, aged 25, of Buffery Road, Dudley, told Mrs Elwell’s son Ryan, 13, ‘no dog, no dog’ before contacting his operator at Beacon Taxis in Burton Road, Dudley, to tell him he was scared of the “big, loose dog”. He was found guilty of discriminating against Mrs Elwell from Milking Bank by magistrates yesterday following a two-day trial.

Younas had denied a charge of refusing to carry out a booking accepted by the operator, the booking having been made on behalf of a disabled person, insisting he would have allowed Freya on board if he had known she was a guide dog.

He now faces losing his private hire licence for up to three years if the council’s taxi licensing committee revokes it. The hearing is due to take place in the next few weeks. Magistrates, including one who was partially sighted, ordered him to pay a total of £1,640.34 in fines and costs.

Mrs Elwell, who volunteers on Dudley Council’s disability training courses for taxi drivers, was due to travel to Tividale with her husband Stephen and son on December 1, 2007 said Mr Richard Dewsbery QC.

Giving evidence, Mr Elwell said he called Beacon Taxis from their home in Austin Close, and said he told the controller twice the family would be travelling with their guide dog.

Although Beacon Taxis’ operator, Umar Shazhada, 18, told the court he had not been told about the dog, magistrates did not accept his evidence because by his own admission, he sometimes forgot booking details.

Mr Antony Schiller, defending, said Younas was frightened of loose dogs.

Source; Express and Star

Author:	Brummie Cabbie [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:01 am ]
Post subject:	Taxi Driver Could Lose Livelihood
Taxi Driver Could Lose Livelihood 25th September 2008 A Black Country taxi driver could lose his livelihood after allegedly refusing to take a blind woman’s guide dog in his cab. The taxi firm told her, ‘Sorry, some of our drivers don’t like dogs’, as she rang to complain, Dudley Magistrates Court was told. Sheraz Younas, aged 25, of Buffery Road, Dudley, is charged with failing to comply with a duty imposed on him to carry a guide or hearing dog. He denies the charge and is due to give evidence. Lesley Elwell, registered blind since birth, was to travel with her now retired Labrador Retriever Freya on 1 December 2007. Her husband Stephen told the court he was taking his wife and son Ryan, 13, to pick up their car from an Oldbury garage. He called Beacon Taxis at Sedgley from their home at Austin Close, Milking Bank, and said he told the controller twice that the family would be travelling with their guide dog Freya. When Younas turned up to take his fare he refused to allow the dog inside his Vauxhall Astra hatchback, Mr Elwell told the court. He said: “I repeated to the driver four times it was a guide dog. He wouldn’t explain why he wouldn’t take the dog.” Mr Antony Schiller, defending, told the court Younas did not accept the fare because he was frightened of dogs and three vital signs of a disabled passenger – the fluorescent strip on the dog’s lead, a harness and its blind owner – were all missing when his client pulled up. Dudley Council’s licensing enforcement officer Tom Trickett added Younas signed an official declaration in August to say he understood the training he received. He had also allowed his car to be used in a demonstration of how disabled passengers with guide dogs should be treated, he added. Mrs Elwell has been using guide dogs for nearly 20 years and is a disability awareness trainer for taxi drivers in Dudley borough. She told the court the taxi controller told her ‘Sorry, some of our drivers don’t like dogs’, when she called Beacon Taxis to complain. Mrs Elwell now has a new guide dog called Brompton. The trial continues. Source; Express & Star

Author:	GBC [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 2:23 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Taxi Driver Could Lose Livelihood
Brummie Cabbie wrote: When Younas turned up to take his fare he refused to allow the dog inside his Vauxhall Astra hatchback, Mr Elwell told the court. Taxee?

Author:	Sussex [ Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Taxi Driver Could Lose Livelihood
Brummie Cabbie wrote: Mr Antony Schiller, defending, told the court Younas did not accept the fare because he was frightened of dogs and three vital signs of a disabled passenger – the fluorescent strip on the dog’s lead, a harness and its blind owner – were all missing when his client pulled up.

Author:	Brummie Cabbie [ Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:
Cabbie May Lose licence In Bias Case 26th September 2008 A Black Country cabbie who refused to pick up a blind woman and her guide dog could lose his licence in the first case of its kind in Dudley. Sheraz Younas drove to Lesley Elwell’s house but refused to accept the fare when he spotted her labrador Freya, Dudley Magistrates Court was told. The court heard that the driver, aged 25, of Buffery Road, Dudley, told Mrs Elwell’s son Ryan, 13, ‘no dog, no dog’ before contacting his operator at Beacon Taxis in Burton Road, Dudley, to tell him he was scared of the “big, loose dog”. He was found guilty of discriminating against Mrs Elwell from Milking Bank by magistrates yesterday following a two-day trial. Younas had denied a charge of refusing to carry out a booking accepted by the operator, the booking having been made on behalf of a disabled person, insisting he would have allowed Freya on board if he had known she was a guide dog. He now faces losing his private hire licence for up to three years if the council’s taxi licensing committee revokes it. The hearing is due to take place in the next few weeks. Magistrates, including one who was partially sighted, ordered him to pay a total of £1,640.34 in fines and costs. Mrs Elwell, who volunteers on Dudley Council’s disability training courses for taxi drivers, was due to travel to Tividale with her husband Stephen and son on December 1, 2007 said Mr Richard Dewsbery QC. Giving evidence, Mr Elwell said he called Beacon Taxis from their home in Austin Close, and said he told the controller twice the family would be travelling with their guide dog. Although Beacon Taxis’ operator, Umar Shazhada, 18, told the court he had not been told about the dog, magistrates did not accept his evidence because by his own admission, he sometimes forgot booking details. Mr Antony Schiller, defending, said Younas was frightened of loose dogs. Source; Express and Star

Author:	Brummie Cabbie [ Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:
£1,640.34 in fines and costs!!! That will teach him to discriminate against blind people!!!

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Author:	Chris the Fish [ Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:
Brummie Cabbie wrote: £1,640.34 in fines and costs!!! That will teach him to discriminate against blind people!!! Should he have seen that coming?

Author:	Sussex [ Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:48 am ]
Post subject:
Brummie Cabbie wrote: Magistrates, including one who was partially sighted, ordered him to pay a total of £1,640.34 in fines and costs. I take it his middle name isn't lucky.

Author:	captain cab [ Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:56 pm ]
Post subject:
Sussex wrote: Brummie Cabbie wrote: Magistrates, including one who was partially sighted, ordered him to pay a total of £1,640.34 in fines and costs. I take it his middle name isn't lucky. Mrs Elwell, who volunteers on Dudley Council’s disability training courses for taxi drivers, was due to travel to Tividale with her husband Stephen and son on December 1, 2007 said Mr Richard Dewsbery QC. I guess thats double unlucky....actually getting t5he one punter who probably knew more about the job than him CC

Author:	bloodnock [ Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:22 pm ]
Post subject:
Brummie Cabbie wrote: Cabbie May Lose licence In Bias Case 26th September 2008 A Black Country cabbie who refused to pick up a blind woman and her guide dog could lose his licence in the first case of its kind in Dudley. Sheraz Younas drove to Lesley Elwell’s house but refused to accept the fare when he spotted her labrador Freya, Dudley Magistrates Court was told. The court heard that the driver, aged 25, of Buffery Road, Dudley, told Mrs Elwell’s son Ryan, 13, ‘no dog, no dog’ before contacting his operator at Beacon Taxis in Burton Road, Dudley, to tell him he was scared of the “big, loose dog”. He was found guilty of discriminating against Mrs Elwell from Milking Bank by magistrates yesterday following a two-day trial. Younas had denied a charge of refusing to carry out a booking accepted by the operator, the booking having been made on behalf of a disabled person, insisting he would have allowed Freya on board if he had known she was a guide dog. He now faces losing his private hire licence for up to three years if the council’s taxi licensing committee revokes it. The hearing is due to take place in the next few weeks. Magistrates, including one who was partially sighted, ordered him to pay a total of £1,640.34 in fines and costs. Mrs Elwell, who volunteers on Dudley Council’s disability training courses for taxi drivers, was due to travel to Tividale with her husband Stephen and son on December 1, 2007 said Mr Richard Dewsbery QC. Giving evidence, Mr Elwell said he called Beacon Taxis from their home in Austin Close, and said he told the controller twice the family would be travelling with their guide dog. Although Beacon Taxis’ operator, Umar Shazhada, 18, told the court he had not been told about the dog, magistrates did not accept his evidence because by his own admission, he sometimes forgot booking details. Mr Antony Schiller, defending, said Younas was frightened of loose dogs. Source; Express and Star A tad tough on the Hapless Driver, if he really Did have a phobia about dogs, the dog could have sensed his obvious fear then pinned him to the ground and started to chew his BLLCKS off and then pee on him for good measure...now sadly the poor blind lady would not have witnessed any of that part of the events..all she heard was "No dog, No dog"...these may have been desperate please of mercy aimed at the Carnivorous Gonad munching guide dog that who for years has been getting away with loads of other similar Canine Mayhem. poor guy..jobless and plumless Things arent always as they seem!!!

Author:	Sussex [ Mon Sep 29, 2008 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:
bloodnock wrote: Things arent always as they seem!!! I couldn't agree more, but the law is crystal clear. You must take guide dogs unless you have a doctor's certificate saying they cause illness to you. There is no middle ground no matter what one's religious beliefs are.

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