Taxi Driver Online

Money lender: My nightmare is over

A MONEY lender says his “nightmare” is over after a judge formally cleared him of offences after a two-year investigation..


Robert Bayford, 62, of Stenning Avenue in Linford, lost his business and slipped into depression after being pursued by the England Illegal Money Lending Team, Essex Police and Thurrock Council, for two years.

However, at Basildon Crown Court yesterday, Judge Owen Davies formally cleared him of charges of money laundering and handling stolen goods because the prosecution offered no evidence.

Mr Bayford had already admitted running a consumer credit business between 2006 and 2011 without a licence and was given a conditional discharge for this offence as Judge Davies accepted Mr Bayford’s explanation that he had only forgotten to renew his credit licence in 2006 because his daughter was severely ill.

Mr Bayford, who rented and sold taxis to Thurrock taxi drivers, was arrested in July 2011 following raids on his home and his business, Bob Bayford’s Autos, in Horndon-on-the-Hill.

Officers seized 12 taxis and paperwork and six other taxis were given prohibition notices by Thurrock Council, preventing them from being used for business.

Mr Bayford was subsequently charged with money laundering and handling stolen goods offences. However, the prosecution offered no evidence for these in court,leading to the judge finding him not guilty of these charges.

Speaking after the hearing Mr Bayford said; “I am just happy the utter nightmare of this injustice is finally over.”

The court heard Mr Bayford had been unable to work while the two-year proceedings were ongoing, had lost his business and spiralled in to debt.

He had become severely depressed and had been rescued last year after the authorities found him wandering on railway tracks in a delirious state.

Judge Davies accepted there was no evidence Mr Bayford charged his clients excessive interest on their loans.

Before sentencing Mr Bayford, Judge Davies questioned why the matter had not been dealt with at a lower court.

He said: “It is extremely important the Consumer Credit Act is observed because it offers protection to members of the public.

“However, I accept at the time your licence was due your daughter was ill.

“Because of your age and the nature of your business it is important that you are able to represent yourself as a person of good character.

“Interviews with probation put you at a low risk of re-offending.”

The Echo contacted the England Illegal Money Lending Team following the hearing.

A spokesman said the case was the first time in the team’s nine year history that a defendant had been handed a conditional discharge for the offence.

He said the Crown Prosecution Service was given all the evidence that was collected in their investigation and was unwilling to comment on the case’s outcome.

nb: even though it says money lender all he did was rent/sell cars and taxis

jogra4

That's why he was found not guilty.

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IDFIMH

You had better read it again Sussex. He was given a conditional discharge for the renting/selling of the cars. He was cleared of money laundering and handling stolen goods.

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Grandad,

Conditional discharge for renting and selling his taxis?? How much did he have under the bed and how much APR was he charging on repayments for the taxis he sold on to other drivers.

There's loads of cab companies out there who charge an extortionate amount of money to buy taxis off them, one company who have been brought to my attention charge £25,000 in interest to buy a motor off of them, they supply the car then you pay them rental on the motor each week for a fixed number of years.

He would appear to be a reasonable chap.

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Grandad,

he is....in fact he is a diamond, would help virtually anyone who needed it and his interest charges were minimal and rental chargers for this area very low, you could get a two yr old mondeo for £125 a week all in.
we (the association in thurrock) have stood by him throughout this two yr nightmare and are proud to say we played an important part in proving his innocence.

jogra4

so he and 18 drivers are/were out of work over a failed case?

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

NOOOO! he received a conditional discharge for not having a credit license.

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Grandad,

he had a credit licence for 15 yrs previously and has one now all he did was forget to renew his licence in 2006 due to his daughter being seriously ill in hospital with lupus and the oft decided not to issue renewal notices at that time

jogra4

oh and i was one of the drivers who lost his car ....an ex police car by the way with original engine but the police here decided it had a stolen engine in it ....but when it came to prove it they offered no evidence

jogra4

As I said previously, He appears to be a reasonable chap and the courts obviously thought that as well, hence the conditional discharge and not a fine or worse.

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Grandad,

I read it that he got the CD for not filling in the credit forms.

I'm quite sure it's not illegal to rent or sell cars.

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IDFIMH

It is illegal to sell cars by offering the buyer credit when your credit license has expired.

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Grandad,

apparently you cant rent cars without a credit licence either so i guess a lot of cab firms are gonna get a spanking when trading standards come calling


jogra4