Cabbie in crash was high on drugs
9:00am Wednesday 18th May 2011
The city council defended its licensing policy after a taxi driver knocked down a cyclist while high on crack cocaine and heroin.
Nizagit Hussain did not realise he had struck Muqarab Shabbir and driven over his bicycle in Oxford High Street.
The 29-year-old victim suffered a broken leg and dislocated shoulder as the driver carried on towards Carfax in his Oxford Contract Vehicles minibus.
When a black cab driver tried to alert Hussain to the incident, the 38-year-old reversed into him before aggressively confronting the witness in St Aldate’s on February 23.
Police arrived and inquired about the cyclist, but Hussain replied: "What cyclist?".
The father-of-two, who has previous convictions for handling stolen goods and obstructing police, was jailed for 10 months at Oxford Crown Court on Monday.
He earlier admitted dangerous driving, driving while unfit through drugs and failing to stop after a road traffic accident.
Last night council licensing director Julian Alison said Hussain had held a private-hire licence since 1998 and was later awarded a Hackney Carriage licence.
Hussain’s convictions were picked up by an enhanced criminal records bureau check in 2000 and he was put before the taxi and Hackney Carriage licensing sub-committee, but deemed “fit and proper” to continue.
Drivers must renew licences every year, but only need a medical check every six years. Hussain, who admitted using heroin for a number of years, was given the all-clear in 2007.
Mr Alison stressed new licensing criteria imposed last month were “very stringent”.
He said drug testing would “raise the costs associated with obtaining a licence”, but said complaints about drivers would be investigated.
He added: “Ninety-nine point nine per cent of the licensed drivers are law-abiding, well-meaning citizens who uphold the good name of the trade.”
Lucy Ffrench, defending Hussain at court, said her client “expresses his regret and remorse to the cyclist”.
Hussain leased the vehicle from Oxford Contract Vehicles and worked from 6pm until 6am six nights a week.
He was off duty at the time of the early morning crash having driven to Derby to see his children the previous night.
Mrs Ffrench said: “He returned to Oxford at about 1am and went to see a female friend in Summertown and he voluntarily took heroin and crack cocaine, and she offered him a sleeping tablet.
“He accepts he has been a user of heroin for a number of years, but said he had been able to manage that.”
She said Hussain would spend £20 on heroin every other night. He is now on methadone and reduced his heroin intake to “£10 at a time, three or four times a week”.
Hussain, of Hurst Street, East Oxford, was banned from driving for two years.
Judge Patrick Eccles said: “It’s astonishing that you, as a taxi driver, decided it was appropriate to carry on that occupation while continuing to use heroin.”
Oxford Contract Vehicles last night said it would be taking legal action against the driver.
Source; http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/903233 ... _on_drugs/
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