Braintree taxi drivers fined £1.8k in landmark case for refusing blind grandad's guide dogTWO taxi drivers have been fined nearly £2,000 for refusing to take a blind grandfather's guide dog on board.
Braintree hackney cabbies Ramesh Krishnan and Saleh Attia appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court today accused of refusing to take on Philip Lee's black Labrador Nan.
Prosecutor Braintree District Council and Guide Dogs for the Blind, whose representatives were at court supporting Mr Lee, believe it could be the first such prosecution in Essex.
Mr Lee, a married 58-year-old and father-of-three, said: "If another guide dog user didn't have the confidence to stand up to them this kind of thing could carry on.
"I did it for the other guide dog users."
The court heard Krishnan and Attia, in separate cabbies at Manor Street bus station in Braintree, both refused to take Mr Lee with his guide dog to Braintree College on Thursday, February 12.
"I was not only angry, I was surprised and taken aback because I thought 'how am I going to get to the college'?
"It knocked my confidence and shook me up a bit."
A third cabbie eventually took him.
Krishnan and Attia each pleaded guilty to one count of refusing to convey an assistance dog contrary to the Equalities Act 2010.
Krishnan, of Nottage Crescent, was fined £150, ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr Lee, pay a £20 victim surcharge and pay £698 in costs.
Attia, of Coggeshall Road, must pay a £150 fine, £50 compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and £707 in court costs.
Wendy Schmitt, Braintree council cabinet member for environment and place, said: "It's simply not acceptable for anyone to be refused services because of a disability.
"Guide dogs help people who are blind or partially sighted to travel independently so we hope by prosecuting in this case we are giving out a strong message that taxis must carry out their legal and moral obligations."
Krishnan and Attia told the Chronicle after the hearing that they were never given a chance to tell their version of events, only given the opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty, and that they could not afford a solicitor.
Krishnan said: "The only question we were asked was 'did we deny a guide dog' and we brought a case here to talk about but we couldn't afford a solicitor.
"The prosecution's statement is totally different to our statement, the stories don't match up.
"I would like to talk to a solicitor about the case."
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http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/Taxi-dr ... z3o0BEbc50
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