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Carlisle taxi man keeps licence after abandoning woman in rain
By Jonny Irving
Last updated at 12:16, Thursday, 09 October 2014
A young woman, abandoned by a taxi driver in a village, was later found to be semi-conscious and suffering from hypothermia.
John Mulholland photo
John Mulholland
Cabbie John Mulholland, who told the 20-year-old to get out of his taxi “to sort herself out” because he thought she was going to be sick, avoided being stripped of his licence by Carlisle city councillors.
Mr Mulholland, 55, of Leatham Street, Carlisle, was driving the woman through Warwick Bridge, east of Carlisle, when the incident happened.
The woman, who had been drinking at a 21st birthday party in the city centre, got out of the car and walked a short distance from the taxi but did not return to the vehicle. Mr Mulholland waited just two or three minutes before pipping his horn at the woman and returning into the centre of Carlisle.
An hour after the incident, at around 10.50pm on August 16, the woman known as Miss Carruthers was discovered “semi-conscious and suffering from hypothermia”.
She was taken to hospital where paramedics contacted the police because they were “concerned that she had been left there in a vulnerable condition by the taxi driver”. However, police were satisfied that no criminal offence had been committed and referred the case to Carlisle City Council’s licensing department.
At the city council’s regulatory panel meeting, Miss Carruthers’ mum Jane Carruthers, spoke to councillors.
“He left her just over the bridge. It was absolutely throwing it down with rain, it was cold and wet and she was wearing the type of clothing most young people do when they go out.
“She was six miles from home and near a road and river. It was isolated and there was nothing round about. He told her to get out and sort herself out.
“He made no attempt to help her at all. Next thing she ended up in hospital with hypothermia.”
Mrs Carruthers added that she would have happily paid the bill had her daughter been sick in Mr Mulholland’s taxi but said that she felt he had put his potential loss of earnings over her daughter’s safety.
“But if you compare that with loss of life. The consequences of leaving her in Warwick Bridge with hypothermia could have been fatal,” she added.
When asked by the panel if he would have done anything different in hindsight, Mr Mulholland initially said no, but later admitted he would “probably phone the police”, before adding; “I am very sorry it has happened.”
When asked why he let the woman out of his taxi, he said: “She was gagging, actually asleep. So I stopped in a lay-by and let her out. I have had numerous runners over the years and I have never phoned the police.”
Chairman of the panel councillor John Bell, said: “After a long deliberation you will be issued with a strongly worded letter.
“Can I remind you that taxi drivers carry a duty of care, especially for vulnerable passengers?”
The panel also requested that Mr Mulholland receive more training, especially in the area of vulnerable people.
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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin
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