Rossendale

Five taxis issued with fines in Rossendale enforcement operation

A TAXI enforcement operation in Rossendale saw five cars issued with notices for faults and defects.

Operation Maestro, a joint scheme between Rossendale Council’s licensing unit, Lancashire police and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), inspected seven cars on Friday evening.

VOSA served two vehicles with suspended or delayed prohibition notices for faults such as loose batteries, damaged bodywork, defective steering rack gaiters and air bag faults.

Council officers found damaged front bumpers, mirror casings, and side lights, resulting in the issue of three council defect notices. They also found one driver without a valid hackney carriage driver licence and one driver who was not displaying his licence badge as required.

A similar operation in March this year saw five similar notices issued while last September four vehicles were ordered to make improvements.

I am amazed, I did not know 5 vehicles actually worked in Rossendale, I thought they were all here in Manchester.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nelson

Bogus Nelson taxi driver jailed for sexual assault

A BOGUS taxi driver who sexually assaulted a woman he picked up outside a Burnley nightclub has been jailed.

Tassawar Shah, 28, had got on top of the victim and pinned her down after going down an alley instead of taking her to her home in Padiham.

She finally escaped by giving Shah her number, and telling him he could go back to her house later, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Shah, of Hartley Street, Nelson, admitted sexual assault, in December last year. He was jailed for nine months and three weeks and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

Kimberley Obrusik, prosecuting, said the victim, who is in her 30s, had been out in Burnley town centre, last December 22, and had been to Lava and Ignite club.

She left by the main entrance and saw a blue taxi waiting across the road. She asked if the driver could take her to Padiham and the defendant said yes, despite not having a taxi licence. Shah started talking to the woman and told her he had a friend who could get cocaine, if she wanted it.

The defendant drove towards Padiham and the victim said she did not feel threatened at that stage, as they were just chatting. Shah then admitted he was not a taxi driver and did not hold a licence.

Miss Obrusik said the defendant pulled into an alleyway, stopped and the next thing the woman knew, he was on top of her, pinning her down.

The prosecutor said in an attempt to get away, the woman told Shah she would give him her number and they could go back to her house.

The victim supplied her number to the defendant and he said: “You had better answer your phone.” The woman repeatedly told him she would as he removed himself from being on top of her. She saw him pulling his pants up while he moved back into the driver's seat. The woman got out of the vehicle and called police. Shah phoned her 12 times that night.


Miss Obrusik said when the defendant was arrested and interviewed, he denied any sexual touching. He claimed when the victim approached the vehicle, he immediately told her he did not hold a taxi licence, but she persuaded him to take her. The defendant alleged the woman repeatedly touched him, put her hands down his trousers and kissed his neck.

Shah told officers he didn't respond, has had a girlfriend and would not cheat. The court was told he had 12 offences on his record.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redcar

Newborn lands parents with cleaning bill after hospital dash

Jenny Larkin with son Finlay and his father Tim Galloway Jenny Larkin with son Finlay and his father Tim Galloway

A MOTHER who gave birth on the front seat of a taxi has been landed with a £40 cleaning bill.

Jenny Larkin from Redcar delivered baby Finley in a hospital car park less than two hours after going into labour.

She was shocked to receive a valeting bill two days later from the unrepentant cab driver, who said he had lost two days pay as the interior had been so wet.

When contractions started at 2.30am last Friday, her partner, Tim Galloway, called JP taxis just after 4am to take them to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

 “Tim told them it was for maternity and when he came he had some plastic sheeting on the front seat and said it was fine for me to sit there,” she said.

“We got on the A174 and I said the baby was coming. By the time we were pulling up at the hospital, the baby was already coming out.

“Five midwives rushed out to see what the situation was and there my baby boy was, hanging down and in a bit of shock. I had to deliver him there. That’s when he said to my partner 'I want the cleaning bill'."

Finley was born weighing a healthy 7lb 15oz and taken into the hospital, where medics kept an eye on his temperature after he was born outside in the cold.

Jenny, who also has two girls Elise, five and Ruby, two, said: “I was absolutely mortified. He knew he was going to maternity before he even set off and had put plastic sheets on the front seat.

Taxi driver, Steven Morrell, who is responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of his own cab as part of his self-employed contract with JP Taxis, said: “Unfortunately someone’s got to pay for it. I don’t think I’m being nasty asking for the valeting cost back.

“I couldn’t work on Friday or Saturday because the interior was still wet so I lost two days’ takings.”

Craig Walker, who owns JP Taxi, said the driver had the right to pass on his bill to the family in accordance with a council bylaw.