Taxi Driver Online

29 Feb 2008

Cops reveal info on drugs suspect to block taxi bid

POLICE have taken the unusual step of revealing intelligence about a
suspected drug dealer to stop him being granted a taxi driver's licence.

Senior officers persuaded Glasgow councillors to reject a bid by Joseph
Harvey for a private hire permit - despite him having no convictions for
drugs offences.

Mr Harvey, 38, from Yoker, appeared before the licensing committee
because police said he was "not a fit and proper person" to hold a licence.

Inspector John Galbraith told the meeting Mr Harvey was part of a gang
convicted of an armed robbery at Peterson Post Office, Yoker, in 1991.

Mr Harvey, who was 21 at the time, was one of a gang of four men. He
was later jailed for five years.

Inspector Galbraith also said Mr Harvey had been implicated in a seizure
of 90kg of cannabis, with a street value of £450,000, in 2002.

He was reported to the procurator fiscal, but while an "associate" was later
convicted and jailed over the haul, prosecutors took no action against Mr Harvey.

Despite the lack of a conviction in the drugs case, which involved seizures
from Mr Harvey and his unnamed associate's vehicles at Great Western
business park, Inspector Galbraith said: "Intelligence held by Strathclyde
Police provides Mr Harvey is associated with persons who are involved in
the supply of controlled drugs.

"Intelligence also provides Mr Harvey is himself involved in the supply of
controlled drugs."

Mr Harvey said: "The incident in 2002 ... it's an allegation as far as I'm
concerned. I'm a good guy. I hardly get out. Why would I be hanging
about with drug dealers?"

Despite his pleas he had not been convicted of any drug offence,
councillors on the panel refused the licence application.

Labour councillor Ruth Black, who recently defected from Tommy
Sheridan's Solidarity party, was the only committee member to oppose
the licence refusal.

In recent years, people guilty of serious violent crimes, including murder
and culpable homicide, have been granted taxi or private hire licences in
Glasgow, despite police opposing the applications.

Police sources said senior officers felt they needed to reveal they were
holding further intelligence on Mr Harvey in case the committee decided to
grant him a licence on the basis of his conviction being almost two
decades ago.

A source said: "It's rare we have to go to the extent of revealing we have
intelligence, but we felt it was necessary in this case."

Source: Glasgow Evening Times
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