TAXI ROW: 'Loophole' could still see convicted sex offenders driving taxis in Milton KeynesAn internal audit report into the taxi licence scandal has been published by Milton Keynes Council
THERE is still a possibility that convicted sex offenders could drive city cabs – despite a report investigating the taxi licensing scandal finally being published.
On Monday, Milton Keynes Council released its internal audit report into the debacle, which saw a convicted rapist handed licences for private hire and hackney carriage vehicles.
The report’s release was swiftly followed by the resignation of Subhan Shafiq – the former mayor who personally vouched for Nadeem Ahmed Kiani, 44, an ex-Skyline driver who was jailed for eight years in 1994.
Mr Shafiq bowed to the demands of the public by penning his resignation as a councillor in an exclusive letter to MKWeb.
But faults have also been found with the findings of the report.
Despite enhanced DBS checks on drivers and extra training for councillors on the regulatory sub-committee – which grants taxi licences – a blanket ban on anyone ever convicted of a sexual offence being granted a licence has not been agreed.
Although those currently on the Sex Offenders’ Register should not be granted a licence, it means anyone with a conviction for a sexual offence who had served their sentence before the register came into effect in 1997 – or has since come off it – could still slip through the net. Kiani himself managed to get a licence, despite being listed on the register.
The report states that the existing policy is ‘considered sufficient to deal with all eventualities to safeguard the public’.
Council leader Pete Marland said a blanket ban on all sex offenders had been considered, but councillors were advised against it by officers.
He said: “There has to be some discretion. If a 17-year-old is convicted for relations with a 16-year-old they go on to marry, that might not be balanced. If it was a violent offence they would be extremely unlikely to get a licence, but if there is discretion you can never say never.”
He added the report would be reviewed every three months.
Liberal Democrat leader Douglas McCall said: “There is still a potential loophole. The public’s view is that all sex offenders should be excluded.”
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