Taxi Driver Online

A couple of articles on broadly the same topic. The first one over a month ago.

And different system to the UK mainland, obviously, but still part of the UK, so to that extent this is quite interesting.

First odd thing is the tiny number of revocations due to convictions - only 12 in four years in the whole of Northern Ireland?

Second is how long it takes to revoke licences. And I assume maybe the problem is like the system in Scotland whereby if the driver doesn't declare stuff then it's only flagged up during the renewal process and Police Scotland checks.

On the other hand, this is about quite serious stuff, presumably, and it only mentions revocations, as opposed to non-renewals.

And the other odd thing that's presumably fundamental to all this is the vetting process for new badges and renewals.

Reading this you'd think there's no official vetting process at all, and that it's all down to self-reporting.

But I assume that's wrong, and that the article just simply doesn't really mention the vetting process, as opposed to shortcomings relating to self-reporting


Northern Ireland taxi drivers operating for years with criminal convictions because of a system that relies on ‘self-reporting’

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern ... 2U3PESMCU/

DfI admits some drivers simply fail to notify authorities of convictions, prompting concern over whether system is ‘sufficiently robust to protect public safety’

Delays of up to almost five years between taxi drivers receiving a disqualifying criminal conviction and losing their licence to operate has led to demands for clarity over passenger safeguarding.

Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure (DfI) blamed some delays on drivers failing to notify them of their convictions, prompting an MLA to question if there is an “overreliance on self-reporting”, that could have safeguarding consequences.

The data has emerged after previous scrutiny of taxi driver vetting in Northern Ireland, in the wake of the jailing of an east Belfast cabbie in 2024 for threatening a passenger in his vehicle with an imitation firearm.

Following his sentencing, it was revealed the driver had 66 previous convictions.

Meanwhile, the PSNI has also refused to release an image of a taxi driver who raped a woman in his cab in Co Down, amid concerns from an ex-policeman that senior officers refused to investigate if he was a serial sex offender.

Now the DfI has revealed details of the length of time between drivers being convicted of a crime that disqualifies them from holding a taxi licence, and actually having that licence revoked.

In some cases the revocation happens in a matter of days, but can take years in the worst instances.

The data was released by DfI minister Liz Kimmins in response to a written Assembly question by Newry & Armagh DUP MLA Gareth Wilson.

Between 2021 and 2025, 12 drivers had their taxi licence pulled due to receiving a criminal conviction.
One of three drivers who lost their licence in the 2024/25 period was able to drive for 1,805 days – 4.9 years – after the disqualifying conviction. Another case that year saw a delay of 672 days, and the third 276 days.

In the three disqualifications in 2023/24, the longest delay was just under three years (1,073 days), the second longest 90 days, and the shortest 50.

In 2022/23, there were delays of 2.3 years (866 days), 138 days, 71 days and 53 days.

However, in 2021/22, the two disqualifications were faster, occurring in three days, and 20 days.

In her response, Ms Kimmins highlighted the onus on drivers to alert the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) of any relevant convictions.

Gareth Wilson said the public will be demanding answers over the delays.

“I want to be clear that these concerns are not directed at the vast majority of taxi drivers, who provide a valuable service and comply with the rules governing the industry,” the MLA told the Irish News.

“The minister’s answers raise important questions about the effectiveness of some aspects of the current taxi licensing regime.

“The vast majority drivers carry out their work professionally every day. My concern is ensuring that the licensing system is sufficiently robust to protect public safety and maintain that high degree of confidence in the industry.

“The public will rightly ask how such substantial delays can occur when the Department ultimately concluded that these convictions justified revocation.

“If a conviction is serious enough to lead to the removal of a licence, there are legitimate questions about what happened during the intervening period. What is particularly concerning is that the minister’s response appears to indicate that taxi drivers themselves are required to notify the DVA of any new convictions during the period of their licence. That raises questions about whether there is an overreliance on self-reporting within the system.”

A DfI spokesperson told the Irish News that when applying for a taxi licence, “drivers must provide an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate, which details any convictions they have at that time”.

“Taxi drivers must also notify DVA of any new convictions that arise during the period of their licence, which is normally valid for five years,” they said.

“Whilst this notification process is a condition of the licence, there are some cases where this does not happen.”

This is a recent follow up article, but apart from the type of offences involved in the revocations, there's not much new here.

Although there is a bit about police informing the licensing authorities about serious allegations pending a criminal process, or whatever.

But that still doesn't address why the revocations took so long in some cases. And neither does it say precisely what the vetting process is when it's not immediately a serious enough case to warrant police informing the licensing body.

So I'd guess some of them are a bit like what I often say about Glasgow etc - they're convicted of something, but it's only flagged up to the council when they're vetted during the renewal process. In which case they could be working the thick end of three years after the conviction if they've just been granted a licence, and it's only up for renewal a couple of years later.

So I think there's some vital information about the vetting process that's not specifically mentioned over the two pieces


Sex offences, assault and stolen goods - the offences committed by NI taxi drivers who kept licence after conviction

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern ... O5RX373EA/

Call for ‘more rigorous’ monitoring of drivers after details emerge of disqualifying crimes

Sex offences and assault are among the convictions received by taxi drivers who were allowed to continue working, it has emerged.

Out of 12 drivers who had their taxi licence revoked in Northern Ireland between 2021 and 2025, at least one was convicted of a sexual offence.

Yet the minimum time between a disqualifying conviction and having a licence revoked in that period was three days, with the longest at almost five years.

The “concerning” crimes have come to light after the Irish News revealed in July that drivers were continuing to hold a taxi licence for periods despite receiving convictions that should immediately disqualify them.

Details of the offences behind those disqualifications have now been disclosed by Stormont’s infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins.

In a response to a written question from DUP MLA Gareth Wilson, the minister listed the 24 criminal convictions that led to the disqualification of 12 cabbies.

There were two convictions for sex offences; four for wounding/assault; six for possession of, or converting, criminal property; seven for fraud/forgery; four for drugs offences, and one for blackmail.

Mr Wilson had previously asked the minister for details of the time elapsed between the convictions and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) revoking the offender’s taxi licence.

However, it is not yet known which of the criminal offences relate to the instances of time between conviction and revocation.

The shortest period was in 2021/22, when three days passed between conviction and revocation. That financial year also saw a 20 day period pass.

In 2022/23, four licences were revoked, with the shortest period since conviction 53 days, and the longest 2.3 years.

2023/24 saw three revocations, and elapsed time since convictions 50 days, 90 days, and 2.9 years.
For the three revocations in 2024/25, the elapsed time was 276 days, 672 days, and a staggering 1,805 days – almost five years.

The DfI previously told the Irish News that taxi drivers must alert the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) of any new convictions arising during their licence period, but “there are some cases where this does not happen”.

However, with the revelation that a convicted sex offender held a taxi licence for a minimum of three days, and possibly much longer, Mr Wilson said it raises “questions about public safety and the effectiveness of the current system for monitoring taxi licence holders”.

“These are extremely serious matters and the public will rightly expect robust safeguards to be in place for those entrusted with transporting passengers,” the MLA told the Irish News.

“The vast majority of taxi drivers obey the law and carry out their work with the utmost integrity. However, given the position of trust that they hold, it is concerning that some drivers may have been able to continue to operate for significant periods of time after being convicted of serious offences.

“I believe there is a strong case for the Department to examine whether more rigorous and proactive monitoring arrangements are required, rather than relying so heavily on self-disclosure and checks at licence renewal stages.”

He added: “The public deserve transparency on these matters and, where weaknesses are identified, the Department must take steps to strengthen the system and ensure public safety is fully protected.”

The DfI was approached for further comment.

Minister Kimmins previously said that in “exceptional circumstances”, the PSNI, where it “considers it to be in the public interest”, may provide “information relating to arrests or charges” to the DVA while a taxi licence is in force.

“Such cases may result in an immediate suspension or refusal pending the outcome of court proceedings,” the minister advised.

It is not yet known on what date arrests or charges occurred over the two sex offences – nor the other serious offences – relating to licence revocations between 2021 and 2025.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Where information relating to a licensed taxi driver gives rise to safeguarding or public protection concerns, consideration will be given to whether disclosure is necessary, proportionate and lawful.

“This includes allegations of a sexual nature, with each case considered on its individual circumstances and any potential risk to the public.”

Not all criminal convictions prevent a driver from achieving a taxi licence, nor lead to revocation, as the DVA considers each case individually.

Vetting concerns were previously raised after the 2024 jailing of a taxi driver for threatening a passenger with a firearm in an incident recorded on camera and leaked online. It emerged the driver had 66 previous criminal convictions.

In June of this year, the Irish News reported on fears that a driver who raped a woman in his taxi in 2010 could have been a serial sex offender – a concern raised by a detective in 2014, but which the PSNI refused to explore further in a review of cases.