Taxi Driver Online

Gloucestershire Echo

August 28, 2007 Tuesday

'You are not fit to be a cabbie'

Dangerous driver Dilish Daramci has failed in his bid to operate a taxi in Cheltenham.

The former cabbie lost his taxi licence after being banned from driving for 12 months when he was convicted of dangerous driving in November 2005. He was also cautioned in 2006 for assaulting his cousin's wife, details of which he failed to include in his application.

After the licensing hearing, Daramci criticised a note submitted to the hearing by a police officer, which read: "Frankly, if I entered a cab to see him driving, I'd get out straight away."

Councillors were advised to ignore the comment by committee chairman Coun Diggory Seacombe (C, Lansdown), who said it "was clearly a personal opinion".

But Daramci is worried further remarks of this nature may jeopardise future applications.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "I'm disappointed to have failed and honestly thought they may give me a 12-month licence with a review after.

"The comments made by the officer were inappropriate and unfair. I know councillors were told to ignore it but once it's been said you can't take it back. What's to say other comments like this won't be submitted in the future?"

The paragraph was included at the end of a statement submitted by PC Simon Weeks, of Avon and Somerset Police, outlining Daramci's previous convictions.

Daramci was told to resubmit his application in 12 months' time, when it would be reconsidered.

He said: "I don't know what I'll do now. I've been working on a building site so I suppose I'll have to do that until I can reapply."

Daramci told councillors: "The accident was not my fault. I was on a dual carriageway and the car to my right would not give way which led to me crashing into the pavement. The officer said we were racing but I was just filtering into a lane of traffic.

"After the accident I got depressed and mentally disturbed after the death of my mother."

A pregnant woman and a friend of Daramci were in the car at the time of the accident.

Coun Pat Thornton (LD, St Peter's) said: "By your own admission, you were travelling around 65mph in a 50mph speed limit and you had two passengers."

Coun Seacombe said: "We've decided you are not a fit and proper person to be given a licence."
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Appeal if you don't like the decision.

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IDFIMH

Oh, yes do appeal. Leave out the bit about being mentally disturbed though.

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Former taxi driver