LIVERPOOL

A terrified woman fled from her home after a Fairfield taxi driver struck her more than ten times with his belt buckle.

Michael Rezab, 33, falsely accused his friend Martina Ermardtova of stealing from him before launching the brutal attack at her address in Granby Street, Toxteth .

Ms Ermardtova was left with severe bruising after the attack which happened on Wednesday evening.

She was found in a distressed state by police.

Delta taxi driver Rezab, of Rufford Road, Fairfield, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today.

The court heard he had been to his friend’s address to pick up personal items but fell asleep.

Alison Clarkson, prosecuting, said when he awoke he accused Ms Ermardtova of stealing from him, removed his belt and began to hit her using the buckle.

She told the court “At one point she was able to get out of the house into the street, but the defendant followed and was able to persuade her back in. A witness saw her getting back into the property and was sufficiently concerned to call the police.

“Police officers went round and found the victim on her knees with significant injuries. The belt was recovered and the defendant was arrested.”

The court heard he told officers he hit Ms Ermardtova 10 to 15 times with the buckle of his belt.

Steve Charters, representing Rezab, said his client had made full admissions in his police interview.

The bench decided its powers of sentence were insufficient and sent the case to Liverpool Crown Court.

Rezab, who appeared in court with short black hair and wearing a grey t-shirt and grey-tracksuit bottoms, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on December 4.

http://goo.gl/yj42PY
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 WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobility Ventures, LLC - manufacturer of the universally accessible MV-1 vehicle, and the Washington D.C. Taxi Commission (DCTC) today announced delivery of the first 14 new MV-1 wheelchair accessible taxis as part of an innovative grant initiative that helps taxi owners and drivers purchase wheelchair accessible vehicles.

A media event was held at Transco, Inc., in Northeast, D.C., where as part of the grant initiative, disability sensitivity and vehicle operation training is offered free of charge to taxi owners and operators. The event was attended by key community, business and disability advocate leaders, to recognize the success of this initiative in helping to get more accessible vehicles on the streets of the nation's capital. 

Under the public-private initiative, the DCTC offered taxicab company owners and drivers a $7,500 grant towards the purchase of a MV-1 wheelchair accessible vehicle, with Mobility Ventures contributing additional incentives to lower the cost of ownership for grant recipients.

"Accessible transportation is an absolute necessity for those in the disability community, and Mobility Ventures is proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Mayor Bowser, DCTC Chairman, Ernest Chrappah and disability advocates around the city as we fight to bring equal accessibility to transportation one step closer to reality," said Howard Glaser, President of AM General Commercial Business (parent company of Mobility Ventures). "We look forward to continuing our work with the DC Taxi Commission and other local, state and federal entities, knowing together we can bridge the gap in accessible transportation."

"My Administration is committed to providing transportation options that are convenient, equitable, and accessible to every resident and visitor in the District of Columbia," said Mayor Muriel Bowser. "We are excited to deliver 14 new wheelchair accessible taxis that will meet the needs of riders and raise the bar for accessible transport in the nation's capital."

"We want the District's vehicle for hire industry to meet the needs for all of our residents and visitors," DCTC Chairman, Ernest Chrappah stated. "To that end, we are pleased to report that this program, in which operators can obtain wheelchair accessible vehicles, complete a free training program to understand the facts of living with a disability and best practices for drivers, followed by training to have the necessary skills to work with mobility devices and accessible vehicles, provides a holistic approach to enhancing transportation services."

Information about the MV-1 family of accessible vehicles can easily be found on our new website at www.mv-1.us The site includes useful information on building/customizing your own MV-1, vehicle specifications, a downloadable brochure, vehicle photos and the nationwide dealer network locations. Also, please click the hyperlinks below for informative MV-1 customer testimonials.

http://goo.gl/x9Fjos
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TEESIDE

 A taxi driver was snared by paedophile hunters after trying to meet an underage girl for sex.

Nawaz Zada arranged to meet a 14-year-old girl on a social media and dating site in March this year.

But the 23-year-old Middlesbrough pervert was unaware he had in fact been speaking to an internet vigilante group, known as Dark Justice.

The secret operators pretend to be underage children online and contact police when an offender turns up for an arranged meeting.

They have helped send nine paedophiles to jail since the group was formed just over a year ago.

One of the operators, who does not want to be named, said no suggestive inferences or sexual language were sent in the messages to Zada.

“We set up a profile called Georgia and when he messaged he was told straightaway she was 14,” he said.

“He wanted to meet up pretty much straightaway. He was asking to meet in a hotel and film them having sex.

“We picked a location and as soon as he turned up we rang police.

"He turned up in his taxi and when we approached him he lied about his name."

When Zada turned up at the arranged venue in Newcastle, he was greeted by the two men who had contacted police.

A video shows the sexual predator running away after being caught.

Zada admitted the single charge of trying to meet an underage girl following sexual grooming at Teesside Crown Court today.

Prosecutor Ian Mullarkey said: “There was in fact no complainant in this case.”

Aisha Wadoodi, defending, told the court: “The defendant is of previous good character.

"He is a university graduate. He’s never been in any trouble before.”

Judge Peter Armstrong allowed Zada, of Jedburgh Street, central Middlesbrough, conditional bail until sentencing on December 4.

He told the defendant: “The purpose of adjourning sentence is so that a pre-sentence report can be prepared upon you.

“I have to warn you that I don’t know what the sentence will be.

“I simply say that all options will be open to the court that deals with you.

“You mustn’t take the renewal of your bail after your guilty plea as any indication of the type of sentence that will be passed.”
Second time

Zada is the second Teesside paedophile to by snared by Dark Justice.

Stockton man John Rudd was jailed in March for the “textbook grooming” of a schoolgirl.

Rudd sent a constant stream of flirty and sexual texts to an online profile which he thought belonged to a 14-year-old girl called Donna.

But the profile was operated by by two men and a camera, operating by Dark Justice.

http://goo.gl/DsF7Tf
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 GMB Uber Drivers London Protest On Thursday 12th November Over Uber Increasing Levy On Driver’s Income From 20% To 25%

Drivers like working for Uber but increased numbers of drivers, commission increases and price cuts are driving us into poverty says GMB Uber drivers.

GMB, the union for Uber cab drivers, is holding a protest demonstration at Uber's office in London on Thursday 12th November to co-incide with the commission for new Uber drivers increasing from 20% to 25% as of that date. This will cut the incomes of up to 20,000 cab drivers up to £50 per week.

On 29th Oct 2015 solicitors Leigh Day, on behalf of GMB members working for Uber, issued a claim at the London Central Employment Tribunal that the company does not provide drivers with basic workers’ rights. Uber is in breach of a legal duty to provide drivers with basic rights on pay, holidays, health and safety and on raising complaints.  See notes to editors for copy of GMB press release dated 27th July with details of the claim.

In September GMB released income and expenditure details for a member working exclusively for Uber as a cab driver in London. 
The driver was paid £5.03 net per hour for 234 hours driving during August calendar month. This is £1.47 per hour below the national minimum wage of £6.50 per hour. For each hour he worked the fees he paid to Uber were £2.65 per hour which equated to 53% of his net pay per hour.

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/uber-nov-london-protest