Taxi Driver Online

Revealed: How officials let sex offenders, paedophiles and a rapist drive your taxis


M.E.N. investigation finds that Manchester Council has approved 292 cab driving licences for convicted criminals

Sex offenders, paedophiles and a rapist are among hundreds of convicted criminals who have been given licences to drive taxis, we can reveal today.

An M.E.N. investigation has found that cabbies are being allowed to drive by Manchester council despite openly admitting their serious crimes.

Our findings expose how 292 crooks - including sex offenders, dangerous drivers and violent thugs - have been granted licences since 2007.

That licence allows them to pick up vulnerable customers, including school children, disabled people and lone women.

Although the council does turn down applications from convicted criminals, some have been given the go-ahead despite divulging shady criminal pasts.

Records obtained under Freedom of Information laws show that a rapist was granted a licence in 2007.

And in 2013 four drivers who had been convicted of sex offences were given a licence - including two who were convicted of sexual assault.

The figures - which cover 2007 to 2013 - include a driver convicted of making ‘sexual contact’ with a girl under 13, another caught ‘soliciting a woman’ and a driver who had sex with a boy under 16.

The M.E.N. asked for the identities of Manchester’s criminal cabbies, along with full details of their crimes - but the council refused to answer our request, citing privacy reasons.

Trafford-based Paul Brent, chairman of The National Taxi Association, believes that sex offenders should not be allowed to hold licences.

He said: “For me, anybody with a proven sexual offence shouldn’t be moving vulnerable people and disabled children around. The city council should make it policy that they don’t grant licences to sex offenders.”

Wayne Casey, also from the NTA, added: “You have to ask, ‘would that person feel safe being driven by that cabbie’? It’s a difficult one, because some of these offences could be historic.

“In this case, with offences like rape, soliciting and assault I personally would not feel comfortable in a cab with that person driving.”

Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, reacted with shock to the M.E.N’s revelations. He said: “I think these are alarming figures. When I was on the licensing committee there were people who had previous convictions for sex offences, and they simply did not get either private hire or hackney carriage licences. And I can see no reason why that should change.”

The city council has said they have a ‘robust’ system for dealing with criminal cabbies, but added that ‘a criminal conviction is not an automatic barrier to holding a licence’.

A spokesman said: “We take certain kinds of offences, including dishonesty and sexual offences, incredibly seriously, and it is very rare for people who have committed these offences to obtain a licence.

“If anyone holding a conviction of this nature applies to us for a licence, they need to not only demonstrate that they have not committed any offences for a significant period, but also to provide us with significant evidence that they are now suitable people to hold a licence.”

Councillors decide who is 'fit and proper'

All of Manchester’s 6,372 hackney carriage and private hire drivers must declare criminal convictions in licence applications.

It is then up to the city council to check all applications for convictions with the Criminal Records Bureau.

Any potential cab drivers with convictions have their applications passed on to the licensing committee, which is made up of elected councillors.

The committee must weigh up a number of factors - including the individual’s age, when the offence was committed, and the date of conviction - so they can be satisfied that the applicant is a ‘fit and proper person to hold such a licence’.

However, if the committee turns someone down then the driver may appeal in front of a magistrates' court.

Drivers must renew their licences annually and declare any fresh convictions as soon as they happen.

The convicted criminals in figures ...
•2013: 4 sex offences, including 2 sexual assault
•2012: 5 sex offences, including 1 soliciting a woman
•2010: 4 sex offences, including 1 soliciting a woman
•2009: 7 sex offences, including 3 for assault and 1 soliciting a woman
•2008: 4 sex offences, including 1 assault and 1 soliciting a woman
•2007/08: 11 sex offences, including the rapist and paedophiles

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

How long ago were the convictions?

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Grandad,

Does it matter?

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

Does a perv ever stop being a perv?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Of course it matters. Not that i agree with giving licenses to convicted sex offenders but the law allows it. So for instance if the offence was for soliciting a woman and was committed by a chap of 20 whilst on a night out with his mates and he is now 60, It could be considered that he wont be doing it again. Should he still be barred from working in the industry?

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Grandad,

Council launches probe in 'sex offender' taxi licences



Figures reported by the M.E.N today revealed 292 people with criminal convictions have been allowed to drive cabs in the city since 2007


A ‘root and branch’ review has been launched by town hall bosses into how sex offenders had been handed taxi licences.

Figures reported by the M.E.N today revealed 292 people with criminal convictions have been allowed to drive cabs in the city since 2007.

These were said to include people with serious sexual offences such as paedophilia on their records.

And council leaders have now ordered an immediate probe into the ‘horrifying’ revelations, which will be headed up by the authority’s chief executive, Sir Howard Bernstein.

Those in charge of the licensing process say they have already established that no one who is on the sex offender’s register is currently driving a taxi in the city.

They confirmed that driver with a historic rape conviction had been given a licence in 2007 but has since had it removed.

However, they have now vowed to go through each case involving a driver with a ‘conviction’ to their name, or who has any other areas of concern flagged by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks which the council carries out on each driver.

Town hall bosses will then produce a written report for councillors to scrutinise and will take action against any driver if necessary.

Coun John Flanagan, Acting Executive Member for Licensing said: “I was horrified when I saw these allegations in the M.E.N.

“We take them very seriously. I’ve immediately ordered a root and branch investigation.

“We have nothing to hide. We will look at every single piece of evidence as we do not want drivers who have sexual offences against them,

“There are over 6,500 drivers in Manchester who work hard for their families, add to the economy of this city and get people home safely at night.

“Am I confident they are decent people? Yes I am. But we can’t sit on our laurels.”

There are currently 15 councillors on the licensing committee, sitting on panels of three when hearing cases.

The committee’s chair Coun John Longsden said: “We are adamant under our regime, anyone with a whiff of sexual impropriety will not be getting a licence or their existing one renewed.

“There are parameters of what the law allows us to consider but we also judge if that individual is a fit and proper person.

“I personally use the rule ‘would I let my granddaughter go in a taxi with this person?’”

source: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... er-8300096

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Oh so if a driver is a kerb crawler that's ok so long as it was years ago, that makes them 'fit and proper'?

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

SCHOOL RUN ANY CONVICTED SEXUAL PERV PERFECTLY OK IN MANCHESTER

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

If you are saying that something that happened many years ago should be held over someone for the rest of their lives, I think it is very sad.

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Grandad,

Clearly kerb crawling in your book is ok, personally I think it shows a certain type of mindset and imo that type of mindset isn't 'fit & proper' to be a taxi driver and as sad as it may be I prefer that my daughters are not driven around by kerb crawlers or anybody for that matter that has any type of conviction for a sexual offence

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

In the world of employment they need to define "Fit and proper person" in its entirety for all occupations.

A guy this week lost his highly paid job because he evaded over 40k in train fares. In his industry it was decided that although the offences were committed away from his work, he was no longer a fit and proper person ! The problem as I see it in this country, is that monetary crime is higher up the scale than pervy stuff.......quite clearly in the moral world being totally wrong, and there lays the problem.........Twisted Britain!

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Common sense........is just not that Common.

It doesn't say they were kerb crawling.

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Grandad,

This is nothing new and will blow away in a few weeks.
Manchester operates a free for all policy.
Anyone with a vehicle and a licence can come and pick up unsuspecting members of the public.
Yes, there are 6,000 drivers licensed by the council but come any weekend they are joined by huge numbers from as far away as Nelson and Rhyl who operate ''Legally'' within Manchester and apparantely it's legal as they get work from local PH companies.
Manchester's record for prosecuting any pirates (less than 100 per year) is dismal compared to say Birmingham where they convict thousands.
So, its a free for all for criminals to work in Manchester...nothing will be done.
The only time the council pretend to do something is when a report such as this one is made public or a serious sexual assault takes place with an unlicensed vehicle/driver.
Yes, my measure would be...''would I let such drivers pick up my grand daughter ?''
My answer would be a No.

It does in my view.

I've mentioned this before, but an example of where it does matter would be an adult who had consensual sex with another adult 30 years ago.

If both adults were men then either of them could, and some were, convicted of sexual assault.

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IDFIMH

If it was consensual then why would they be convicted of sexual assault, it's not that I don't agree with you in this scenario but I don't understand why a conviction would have taken place

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