Don't know where to start with this...
Certainly sounds as if he likes a drink, but where's the evidence that means he's not fit and proper?
Wouldn't be surprised if there are thousands of drivers in the UK who would be revoked if this standard was applied universally
Taxi driver made drunken phone call to licensing officers after an all-night party, committee heardhttps://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/tees ... e-32594975The motorist told councillors he was 'regretful' but never drank and drove and 'did not get into his vehicle if he smelt of alcohol'A taxi driver who made a drunken phone call to council officers after an all-night party has lost his private hire licence.
The unnamed motorist "sounded intoxicated" in calls with licensing officers, councillors heard. He faced Stockton Council's licensing committee after the private hire licence he held since 2015 was suspended.
The committee considered his fitness as a taxi driver "due to concerns raised over his alcohol consumption", say minutes of a meeting from May this year. It heard of one call to the licensing team where he was described as "not making sense and was slurring his words" on February 19.
The cabbie, who was not working that day, "sounded very intoxicated" and was "changing topics frequently". When interviewed about the call, he said he had been to a party the night before, describing it as an "all night job".
He said he did not get home until 8.30am and might have been "a bit squiffy from the night before". When played a recording of a call, he agreed it was concerning and admitted he was embarrassed but said it was a one-off.
He had received written warnings in November 2016 and September 2024 "after sounding intoxicated during telephone calls to the licensing authority". He promised he would not do it again, according to the committee meeting's minutes.
Asked about his drinking habits, the driver said he had a few cans of lager on an evening at home, and usually drank 20 cans a week. He completed an "alcohol harm quiz", which returned results of "increasing risk", the minutes state.
The taxi driver said he had not sought or received help over his alcohol consumption, he never felt unable to stop drinking nor did it prevent him doing anything expected of him. He said he would never drink and drive, nor drive the day after a "heavy session".
He said a conviction for obstructing drug search powers was a long time ago, when he was 21, and admitted he had smoked a joint in the past but denied taking drugs now. He took a negative drugs test and said he had been driving taxis for a long time, was good at it and described himself as a good, polite man.
In a medical assessment, he told a GP he drank 14 units of alcohol each week, less than half the amount he told licensing officers. When officers tried to arrange a second interview with him, he "sounded heavily intoxicated" on the phone, admitted he had drunk alcohol and said he could drink when he wanted as he was a "fully grown man".
'Answered the door in his underpants/shorts with one sock on'His private hire licence was suspended following this call because of the risk to the public if he were to drink and drive. When officers delivered a letter to his home, he "answered the door in his underpants/shorts with one sock on" and they saw two open 10-packs of lager in his kitchen, which he said were empty.
The driver told the committee he simply had a few drinks on his day off and was never rude or insulting to officers. He said he thought he told his GP he drank 14 pints a week, not 14 units, and it was "not an exact science".
He said he would have "a couple of cans to chill out" after getting home, then eat and go to bed early. He said he did not drink cider or spirits and did not intend to make any more phone calls to the licensing authority.
He assured the committee he would not take any risks, confirmed "he was regretful but reiterated that he was never nasty and never drank alcohol and drive", did not work the day after drinking and "did not get into his vehicle if he smelt of alcohol".
'Nonchalant'The committee said they were concerned the driver, who had a historic conviction for drink driving, had "a pattern of being intoxicated", appeared "nonchalant" and lacked insight into his drinking. They believed he misinformed his doctor about how much he drank and "did not appear to be taking his health seriously", not attending blood pressure monitoring and declining a heart check.
The minutes say: "The committee noted that [the driver] did not appear to acknowledge any issue with the amount of alcohol that he consumed, despite admitting to drinking alcohol regularly. The committee did not feel that [his] attitude towards alcohol consumption was compatible with being a responsible licensed driver."
The committee decided to revoke the driver's private hire licence immediately.
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