BANNED TAXI DRIVER FINED FOR FAILING TO RETURN PLATE
17:00 - 31 October 2003
A Taxi driver from Flimwell has been convicted of failing to return his private hire plate and driver's badge after his licence was withdrawn.
Christopher Roffey, 36, of London Road, failed to attend the hearing at Hastings Magistrates Court and was convicted in his absence.
The magistrates imposed the maximum penalty for the offences and fined the man £1,200 and he was ordered to pay costs of £598.
Another example (Bad) of the Private hire trade.
Should have been jailed for impersonating a Taxi Driver too..
Spokesman for Rother District Council David Hermon said: "In November 2002, Mr Roffey was prosecuted by Rother District Council for using an unlicensed private hire vehicle to transport school children, failing to return a council's private hire plate and failing to provide statutorily required information."
"The council licenses hackney carriage and private hire drivers and their cars under legislation designed to ensure the public know these drivers have been vetted for criminal convictions and that their vehicles meet maintenance and safety standards.
"The use of an unlicensed driver or vehicle would invalidate the insurance policy and would put the public at risk."
***********************************************
Now if he was in a certain union, no-doubt they have tried to keep him his license.
For the good of the trade, thankfully he wasn't.