LIVERPOOL
A taxi driver has been filmed on his own dashcam speeding through city streets at 80mph - putting pedestrians and other drivers “at high risk”.
Kieran McKechnie, 28, took his Vauxhall Astra taxi on the two-mile race around Liverpool before smashing into a stationary car.
A judge at Liverpool Crown Court called his actions “astonishing, breathtaking and horrific” after viewing this dashcam footage.
The journey went from Boundary Road in Kirkdale and through Walton before ending at the junction of Breeze Hill and Southport Road.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/reckless-taxi-driver-speeds-80mph-9312192?
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A RETIRED Sellafield worker from Millom is on trial accused of sexually abusing a young boy two decades ago.
John Stephens, 69, denies six counts of gross indecency with a child, who was under 14 at the time he claims he was abused.
At the opening of the trial at Preston Crown Court on November 22, the alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims Stephens would abuse him on an almost weekly basis.
Following his arrest on suspicion of historic sex offences, Stephens denied ever being alone with the boy, insisting the boy’s mum or another adult would always be there.
When the interviewing officer told him about the allegations that had been made against him, Stephens replied: “Definitely not. I don’t know where you have got that from.”
Stephens admitted he knew the youngster and would be “playful” with the lad but said he did not buy him sweets.
http://bit.ly/2gJhHWk
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Fylde MP Mark Menzies has backed a move for taxi drivers across the UK to receive the same disability discrimination training.
The call for standardised training came from cabinet office shadow minister Andrew Gwynne, after a number of high profile cases where taxi drivers refused to pick up a blind customer because they had a guide dog with them. In one instance, a blind passenger reported her dog being locked in the closed boot of a taxi.
In the Parliamentary debate on the issue, Mr Menzies asked: “Does the hon. Gentleman agree that it is important for each and every one of us in the House to raise this issue with our local authority and through columns in our local newspapers, to ensure that no one can use ignorance as a defence for refusing services to blind and disabled people?”
Mr Gwynne told him: “Absolutely. I thank the hon. Gentleman for sponsoring my Bill; his support is greatly appreciated.”
http://www.longridgenews.co.uk/news/fylde-mp-mark-menzies-backs-taxi-campaign-1-8252543?
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A 27-YEAR-OLD Chippenham man picked a bad place for a nap following a night out after being found asleep in a stolen taxi.
The strange scenario happened at 4.21am on Sunday (November 20) when a taxi was stolen from outside the Rivo Lounge by two men and found shortly after at Bath Road carpark.
The man found inside the car was arrested for taking the vehicle without consent and released on bail pending further enquiries.
Police are still searching for the second man who is described as white, medium build, tall, short blond hair who was wearing a white jacket and in his 30s.
http://bit.ly/2gkmWb0
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EIRE
Taxi drivers were handed down on-the-spot fines worth over €35,000 last year for breaches of regulations governing the industry.
The National Transport Authority reported that increased compliance checks on vehicles and drivers in 2015 resulted in 692 fixed charges notices totalling €35,410 being issued to taxi licence holders.
The single biggest number of fixed payment notices — around 40% of the total — were related to drivers failing to notify details of the vehicle being operated to the NTA. Such a breach incurs a fine of €40.
The NTA said the registering of such information was important as it is used to support the Driver Check App which allows passengers or intending passengers to assess the details of their taxi driver and vehicles and to email a chosen third party the details for security reasons.
NTA officials carried out almost 40,900 checks and audits on taxi drivers and their vehicles in 2015. That is an increase of 45% on 2014 figures. The second most common offence committed by drivers was standing for hire in a location that was not an appointed taxi rank while 14 drivers were fined €250 each for having taxi meters which gave out inaccurate readings. Over three quarters of fixed-payment notices were paid with the remainder proceeding to court for prosecution.
The NTA said 154 cases ended up in court last year for the non-payment of fixed payment notices.
An additional 99 court cases were brought last year for breaches of legislation outside of the system of on-the-spot fines. The NTA said it was successful in over 94% of cases which resulted in a criminal prosecution.
The latest annual report also showed the total number of complaints against taxi drivers fell 2.5% last year to 928, T hat us down down from 952 in 2014.
More than half of all complaints related to the conduct, behaviour or identification of a driver.
A total of 3,086 tests to become a taxi driver were taken by 1,458 candidates last year – an annual increase of 24%.
Almost 40% were successful, although it required 2.33 attempts on average to achieve a pass mark.
However, 47% of successful candidates passed on their first attempt.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/taxi-drivers-fined-35000-for-regulation-breaches-431854.html?
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