BURY

Youths high on drink and drugs who stabbed and robbed a taxi driver have been jailed for four years.

Jack Donohue, aged 16 and his 17-year-old friend Otis James Johnson, who both have extensive criminal records, were on licence when they carried out the robbery in the early hours of August 26.

Andrew Mackintosh, prosecuting, told Bolton Crown Court how victim Clive Meaden, a driver for Magnum taxis, was called to pick up passengers from Kersal Road, Prestwich, at 12.45am by a regular customer named James. 

When Mr Meaden arrived, Donohue and Johnson got into the car and asked to be taken to Tesco at Heaton Park.

But on the way they asked the driver to turn into Park View and they both got out.

While Donohue started to walk down a ginnel, Johnson walked round to the driver’s side of the vehicle and asked how much the fare was.

Mr Meaden told him it was £2.60. Johnson initially asked Donohue for the money but then decided to save the cash by not paying.

The teenagers started to walk away, but then Mr Meaden warned them: “I’ve got your number on the screen – there’s no point being barred for £2.”

Mr Mackintosh said Johnson returned to the car, asking to see the number. But after the youth opened the car door, he pulled out a white handled, 10 inch bladed kitchen knife from inside his jacket and held it pointing to the ground.

Johnson demanded: “Give us all your money – give us everything you’ve got.”

Donohue then joined him, warning Mr Meaden, “We are going to stab you up” before reaching through the window and stabbing the terrified taxi driver in the thigh with a knife.

A cash bag containing about £35 was handed over and the teenagers fled, leaving Mr Meaden to drive himself to hospital where he needed two stitches to the wound in his leg.

Shortly afterwards another driver picked the two defendants up at McDonald’s in Bury New Road, Whitefield.

The teenagers’ descriptions had been circulated and so the driver alerted his company and police.

The passengers had asked to go Radcliffe, where police caught them in Lord Street and arrested them after a short chase.

The court heard that Mr Meaden, a taxi driver for 20 years, was “shaken up” by the incident and is now wary and anxious.

“He obviously feels both the physical and psychological effects,” said the Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson.

Johnson, of Kersal Close, Prestwich, and Donohue, of Lord Street, Radcliffe, both pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing knives. Additionally Johnson admitted possessing cannabis.

The court heard that both teenagers were known to the care system and had troubled backgrounds with Johnson appearing before the courts on 25 previous occasions and Donohue 14 times. Both had convictions for violence.

Carolyn Smith, defending Donohue, stressed that the teenager had not intended to harm the taxi driver.

“He maintains that his intention was to scare, not hurt him. He went to stab him between the legs,” she said.

“Whatever he intended, he was, at best, reckless.”

She said that, at the time Donohue, who began taking drugs aged 12, was under the influence of cocaine and alcohol and had been carrying the knife for protection.

Stuart Duke, defending Johnson, added that the drinking and drug taking the youths had been doing that night was a “recipe for disaster.” “He issues an apology and says he is disgusted with himself,” he added.

Judge Clayson sentenced the youths, who appeared in court via a video link from Wetherby Young Offenders’ Institution, each to four years’ detention. “A significant custodial sentence must be passed here,” said the judge.

https://goo.gl/8Vv4ug

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UBERK rent a Car Park to Crap on.

Taxi firm Uber has promised to act after reports that town centre car parks are being used as toilets.

The firm branded reports of taxi drivers urinating in a car park, and reports residents have found faeces, as "unacceptable". But a spokesman stressed the reports are not only linked to the firm.

It comes at the same time as news Uber is set to be offered permanent parking spaces in Horley.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is in discussions with the firm about the possibility of them renting about 50 spaces in the town's High Street car park, in response to concerns raised by residents about issues with drivers using the car parks, particularly in Victoria Road.

Gavin Handford, head of parking at the council, said: "The move is in response to concerns raised by residents about issues associated with Uber drivers using our car parks, in particular Victoria Road car park.

"Residents living nearby have been experiencing disturbance from vehicle engine noise, talking and music and the urinating in the recycling bin site, especially at night time. We have raised the issues with Uber and they are keen to work with us to address them."

Residents have also complained to the council reporting piles of excrement being left in the High Street car park.

One man, who the Mirror agreed not to name, told us the piles started to appear eight weeks ago.

He said: "There are regularly piles of excrement beside the council's blue container.

"Sometimes it is covered with toilet roll. And sometimes it's not. It's not dog poo. Dogs don't leave toilet roll and the amount is not dog poo amount.

"It's extremely unhygienic and it attracts rats off the railway line. It's a pain in the a***. It's a pain for people to have to walk past it."

The council said it had found no evidence of excrement in the car parks.

Uber is used by millions of people across the UK and allows users to book and pay for a cab through a smartphone app,

Mr Handford added: "The High Street car park is operating with spare capacity and the area is less residential than Victoria Road. It will also enable the council to better monitor the use of its car park by Uber drivers.

"Uber would be required to provide and maintain [temporary toilet] facilities for its drivers at the site.

"The proposal will help to tackle residents' concerns while bringing in much needed income for the use of our facilities which can be used towards the upkeep of the car parks.

"The site is also further from the town centre than the Victoria Road car park, as we are mindful that we do not want to impact the local Hackney Carriage and private hire trade."

A source within the council stressed that whatever is agreed with Uber would be temporary, because the car park is listed in the authority's Development Management Plan consultation document as being a potential site for future development.

He added: "Nothing has been agreed and at the moment there has been no discussion about a temporary structure.

"What they have discussed is temporary parking spaces for Uber drivers in that car park.

"Whatever happens I would imagine that it would be a temporary."

An Uber spokeswoman said: "We take any reports of antisocial behaviour very seriously, and what has been alleged is clearly unacceptable. Whilst this issue is not confined to Uber, we would urge residents to report such behaviour so we can take the appropriate action."

The Surrey Mirror has asked the council if it has had reports of excrement being left in its car parks.

https://goo.gl/Le5QlO

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GLASGOW

A TAXI driver has helped nearly 600 veterans across Scotland by giving them £15,000 in free fares.

David Gibson was determined to help former servicemen and women by making sure we “don’t wait for November to remember” after hearing about ex-forces friends’ experiences.

So far, he has made 341 journeys, helping 592 veterans and giving away £15,308 in fares.

David, 45, from Glasgow, said: “We aim to fight veteran isolation, a mile at a time. We give free taxis to veterans of all ages, helping them to access services and do daily tasks.”

David said Fares4Free were born after he spoke to friends about veterans’ troubles.

He added: “They spoke about the problems faced in particular by early service leavers and about the delayed effects of mental health issues on some veterans.

“My American friends pointed out the difference between the recognition of service in the US and UK. Less is done for veterans here. That’s where our phrase, ‘Don’t wait for November to remember,’ came from.”

World War II veteran Billy Wilson, 92, from Glasgow, said: “It is great for getting me out. It’s a brilliant idea.”

The scheme is in Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Dundee, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Inverness, Lanarkshire and Paisley.

To volunteer, donate or get more information,go to www.fares4free.org or email info@fares4free.org.

https://goo.gl/Ej8XP2

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AYLESBURY

Twenty-five vehicles have been stopped during a taxi compliance operation across Aylesbury Vale, Buckingham and Bletchley.

The aim of the operation on Saturday October 8 was to conduct checks on private hire and Hackney carriage vehicles and drivers.

During the day, the Road Safety Officer for Bucks stopped private hire vehicles around Wendover, Stoke Mandeville, Buckingham and Bletchley.

The vehicles were checked for defects by the Road Safety Officer and to establish correct driving licence and insurance details.

Licensing officers from the district council checked that the condition of the vehicles met their standards and that the drivers held the correct licensing documentation.

Under the district council rules private hire vehicle drivers in Aylesbury Vale are required to display exterior signage which includes a rear licensing plate which must be fixed to the outside rear of the vehicle, a front licensing plate in their windscreen and side door stickers stating “ADVANCE BOOKINGS ONLY”.

Private hire drivers are required to wear their driver ID badge and for it to be visible to the passengers.

In total 25 private hire vehicles were stopped during the operation.

One vehicle was not taxed or completed a SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification) and the driver was reported to the DVLA.

Another driver had two tyres devoid of tread with the chord exposed.

Both drivers had their private hire vehicle licences suspended until they could show the problems had been rectified.

The district council dealt with 19 drivers for licensing offences, which included drivers not wearing ID badges, not displaying correct vehicle signage and failing to have a first aid kit and/or fire extinguisher.

They were given taxi enforcement penalty points and 14 days in which to rectify the defect or face further action.

Licensed drivers can only have 12 points on their licence before they run the risk of losing their private hire or Hackney carriage license.

Road Safety Officer PC Liz Johnson said: “The operation was a success, we checked a good number of private hire vehicles to ensure the public are safe when using them in the future.”

The operation was jointly conducted by Thames Valley Police and Aylesbury Vale District Council.

https://goo.gl/YAE2kx

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SWANSEA AND PORT TALBOT

A PRIVATE hire operator who was prosecuted twice for employing unlicensed drivers had won several school and social service contracts in Neath Port Talbot, the authority has admitted.

Matthew Benjamin, operator of MCB Executive Travel in Swansea , pleaded guilty at Brecon Magistrates Court earlier this month to five charges, after being found on four occasions to be employing unlicensed drivers to undertake hirings, as well as failing to produce his private hire operator records as required.

The prosecutions came after he pleaded guilty to similar offences at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates' Court in May, including employing an unlicensed driver to carry passengers, in a prosecution also brought by the authority.

But it has now emerged that his company bid and won several school and social service contracts in Neath Port Talbot.

A member of the Neath Port Talbot Taxi Association said: "How can he be deemed 'fit & proper' to carry out these contracts when he has been fined at least twice, that we know of in the past year?

"These are vulnerable adults and children being transported on a daily basis".

Benjamin was was fined £350 for each of the most recent charges, and ordered to pay £240 legal costs and a surcharge of £35, a total of £1,325.

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EIRE

Dozens of taxis have staged a protest in Dublin over the rising cost of motor insurance.

They beeped their horns while driving through the city centre to draw attention to their demonstration.

Taxi drivers say their protest in Dublin earlier was a ‘last resort’.

Taxis drove through the city centre blaring their horns to draw attention to the rising cost of motor insurance.

Dave McGuinness, the Chairperson of Tiomanai Tacsai na hÉireann – a voluntary group representing full-time taxi drivers, said he is hopeful today’s demonstration will help:

Mr McGuinness said “Protesting does actually work in this country, look at the result of the Dublin Bus strike and the Luas strike, their protests worked.

“This is a last resort for taxi drivers, taxi drivers don’t want to be protesting, they want to be out working.”


http://www.waterford-news.ie/2016/10/12/taxi-drivers-stage-last-resort-protest-against-rising-motor-insurance/?

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DOPEY AUSSIE PERVERT CAUGHT BY HIS OWN CCTV,

A 40-year-old taxi driver locked the doors of his vehicles before kissing a teenager on her face, arms and between her thighs, a court heard.

Javeed Hameedi was convicted of indecent assault after he took home a drunk 18-year-old woman from a night out in Auckland, NZ, in November last year.

The woman said the former part-time driver asked 'strange questions' about sex and drugs, reported Stuff.

'He was saying, "You're 18, you want to experience new things." I was kind of freaking out,' she said.

CCTV footage from inside the vehicle shows Hameedi stroking his passenger's shoulder and leaning over towards her seat.

'I could not feel any discomfort in her face or voice or anything so I felt like an environment of warmth of the conversation,' Hameedi told the court.

Upon reaching her home, Hameedi locked the doors only unlocking them when she said she wanted to vomit, the court heard.

The woman gave evidence about Hameedi pushing her against the vehicle after she exited and continuing to kiss and touch her.

Judge Simpson said it CCTV showed clear signs Hameedi's passenger was uncomfortable and attempting to move away from him.


'It appeared to me, clear that she was trying to get away from him. I do not accept that she gave permission for him to hug her or touch her in any way.'

https://goo.gl/0ZNfgY