Taxi Driver Online

Lowest of the low: Taxi driver cheated blind woman out of £300 after she asked for help using her cash card to pay for fare

A callous taxi driver stole £300 from a blind woman after she asked him to help get money from a cash machine to pay the fare. Shafak Hussain, 36, had picked Jill Holland, 52, up from Manchester Royal Infirmary and was taking her back to her home in Oldham when she asked to stop at a cashpoint.

When she asked him to key in £30 Hussain pressed £300 instead - giving Mrs Holland only the money she asked for and pocketing the rest, a court heard. A regular of Hussain's taxi company Motown cars, Mrs Holland even gave him a £4 tip as well as the fare when he eventually dropped her home.

But the next day she became suspicious of what had happened and rang her bank who revealed the £300 withdrawal. Father-of-two Hussain denied the accusation but was found guilty after a trial at Manchester Magistrates Court last month. He claimed he had taken the £300 out of the account with Miss Holland's full knowledge and given it to her.

Dominic Geelan, prosecuting, said: 'When arrested he was uncooperative and aggressive and accused the police of being racist.' The court heard that following the offence, on August 5, Hussain had been shunned by colleagues at Motown cars who were disgusted by his actions. He has since had his licence revoked.

District Judge Paul Richardson told Hussain: 'I am glad to say you will never work again as a taxi driver. Generally such drivers are worthy of the trust put in them - but you are not. 'This was a very mean offence. She relied on you and you betrayed her.'

Hussain, of Plymouth Street, Oldham, Greater Manchester, was given a four month suspended prison sentence, ordered to carry out 150 hours' unpaid work and told he must repay the stolen money to Miss Holland. Peter Etherall, defending, said Hussain continued to maintain his innocence and would be lodging an appeal against conviction and sentence.

After the case Hussain, who was ordered to pay £625 costs, said he had put his house up for sale to fund his appeal.

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IDFIMH

Oh good.....

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

They have no morals do they?

Not many brain's either

"they" as in Taxi drivers do you mean ? cause if your refering to something else your way of the mark.

I have no reason to believe that what happened isn't true.

However, what if the woman decided to pull a fast one and HAD been given the full £300, how would you or I prove any different in such a situation ? I suppose it's not much difference between someone going to licensing and saying you overcharged them or only gave change for a £10 instead of a £20, it's one persons word against anothers and without solid evidence who do you believe is more trustworthy ?

All I can suggest is using a mobile to film any transactions involving large sums of money, or get some proof in writing signed by the customer. Not much use if they're blind though.

Maybe he means thieves or at least I hope he does cos I as a taxi driver (oops sorry ph driver) would certainly be offended if he tarred us all with the same brush. On the other you maybe suggesting something entirely different and you may not to be as touchy as you appear to be

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Touchy me ? How feckin dare you

well looks like crime really doesn't pay it has cost him far more than he gained.

What on earth made him think he wouldn't get caught ? probably learned to speak English by watching the Simpsons

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

an old lady at an ATM asked me to check her balance


so i pushed her over

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

I dare because I can and because I'm here and you're there

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!