Minicab driver in court after 'refusing' to take blind woman and her guide dog Professional chorister Andrea Hope missed her train after her minicab vanished from outside her Kings Heath home.
A minicab driver has appeared in court accused of refusing to carry a blind woman in his car -– because she had a guide dog.
Professional chorister Andrea Hope, 31, had pre-booked the minicab to take her from her Kings Heath home to New Street train station .
But she claims Shazad Hussain drove off moments after turning up at her property – after being told about her guide dog, Zeta.
A complaint was made to Birmingham City Council and the private hire driver was later charged with breaching the Equality Act 2010.
The case against him was outlined at Birmingham Magistrates Court , where he denied the charge. The trial was adjourned until next month.
Giving evidence at court accompanied by Zeta, Miss Hope said she had booked the minicab through Kings Heath-based Ambassador Cars. She said: “I told them where I was going and that I had a guide dog and would need assistance.
“I was told a driver was on his way and it was fine about my guide dog.”
She said her housemate Tony Breach, who is also registered blind, went outside to the minicab when it arrived to ask the driver to wait while she put her harness on Zeta.
“Tony also told the driver that it was a guide dog,” she said. “But when we got outside a few minutes later we saw the minicab had gone without any explanation.’’
Mr Breach called the cab firm to complain and a second minicab was sent to the house. But by the time the professional singer arrived at New Street, she had missed her train to Wales to visit friends and had to wait an hour for another one.
“Because I suffer with mental health issues I felt really anxious,” Miss Hope added.
“I had just started taking an anti-depressant which made me feel spaced out, almost numb, which didn’t help.”
Tharan Biring, prosecuting, said that by law all private hire drivers must allow guide dogs in their vehicles unless they have a medical exemption certificate for certain conditions, including an allergy to pooches.
But when Hussain, 41, was quizzed by council licensing officials he admitted he had no certificate and had driven off because he was “scared of dogs”.
Devon Small, defending, claimed his client had not been told by the taxi firm’s operator that Miss Hope had a guide dog.
He also said Hussain, who needed an Urdu interpreter at the hearing, had poor English and had believed Mr Breach meant a normal dog was set to get in the minicab.
But when interviewed by licensing enforcement officer Sarah Hempsall last July, the driver allegedly admitted he had been told by Ambassador Cars that Miss Hope was “totally blind and in need of help”.
He added: “I think I mixed it up. It’s not acceptable. I think I made a mistake now, I’m sorry.”
Hussain, of Deakins Road, Yardley, denies one charge of breaching the Equality Act 2010.
The trial was adjourned until next month due to a lack of court time.
source:
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/lo ... rt-3567542
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