ROTHERHAM

A TAXI driver has been found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a girl who was living in a children’s home.

Darren Hyett (54), of Broom Chase, Rotherham, was convicted at Sheffield Crown Court yesterday (Monday) of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault following a two-week trial.

He was cleared of four counts of rape, one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity with a child and perverting the course of justice.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on a further count of rape.

Hyett sexually abused the girl when she was living at St Edmund's Care Home, Thurcroft, as a teenager while he was working for A1 Taxis. He groomed her with gifts, money, drink and drugs.

He was aged between 40 and 44 when the offences took place, between 2004 and 2007. The complainant was aged between 15 and 18.

Hyett has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on October 12.

Rotherham Borough Council has been contacted for a comment.

Hyett was charged as part of the National Crime Agency’s investigation into historic CSE in the town — dubbed Operation Stovewood — between 1997 and 2013.

This was the fifth Operation Stovewood trial. To date, 35 people have been arrested, of whom 18 have been charged and seven convicted.

https://goo.gl/inysGc
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TRAFFORD

New taxi drivers may have to prove they can speak English - and pass a local knowledge test - before being allowed behind the wheel in Trafford.

There are also plans to provide a dual badge for both Hackney carriage and private hire drivers - and the cost of a licence is set to go up.

Council chiefs plan to ask applicants to provide a relevant English language certificate.

They have not yet decided on the new fee because the format of the local knowledge exam needs to be agreed, and the work involved calculated.

The cost of a three-year licence is currently £432 and includes the price of a training course and DBS check.

Town hall bosses plans to change the current system in a bid to crackdown on the number of licence applications it receives from out of town drivers.

In 2015, Trafford council scrapped the requirement for taxi drivers to pass a knowledge test - the only town hall in Greater Manchester to do so.

The range of acceptable qualifications to prove English skills was also extended, in a bid to speed up the process.

But since a change in policy the council has received 'several thousand' expressions of interest from drivers wanting a licence.

“A significant amount of these are from people living out of the area," a town hall report reads.

"In the absence of a local knowledge test there seems to be a perception with applicants that it is easier to obtain a licence in Trafford than other authorities."

Members of the council's public protection sub-committee will consider the plan on Thursday.

The town hall ran a public consultation on the changes in June. Nearly 700 people responded.

A report said some agreed with the reintroduction of the knowledge test, saying it's ‘frustrating’ drivers are not familiar with the area and take longer routes than necessary.

Others said sat navs have made the test ‘obsolete’.

There was strong support for a requirement for drivers to speak fluent English, the report added.

"Everyone who responded said good communication was an essential part of being a driver - particularly for vulnerable people using the service,” papers added.

Paul Kinsey, chairman of Trafford Taxi Drivers Association, welcomed the plans.

He said the council should never have scrapped the local knowledge test - or relaxed the rules around applicants providing proof of English language skills.

"That was a huge mistake," he said.

“This is a really hard job, we need good quality drivers, and not the kind that rip people off by taking them the longest route because they don’t know the area.

“Relying on a sat nav just isn’t good enough - and not having skills to communicate properly is even more frustrating because it can put customers off."



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BIRMINGHAM 


Councils need more powers to take action against unsafe taxi drivers, a Birmingham MP has said.

In a letter to the Transport Secretary, Edgbaston's Preet Gill said she has "concerns" over taxi drivers registered under one authority working elsewhere.

She said December's Belgrave Middleway crash had "raised concerns" about the lack of monitoring of drivers.

The local Private Hire Drivers' Association said it supports action against people working out of area.

On 17 December, Hackney carriage driver Imtiaz Mohammed, 33, was killed, along with his passengers, in the three car crash near Edgbaston.

His inquest was told Mr Mohammed had traces of cocaine and another substance in his system, though this was "not a factor" in the crash, according to the collision investigator.

Mr Mohammed's licence was registered in nearby Sandwell, Birmingham City Council said.

But, in her letter to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP, Ms Gill said it raised concerns over how taxi drivers are monitored and "urgent action" was needed to ensure councils have powers they need over all drivers working in their area, even if they were registered elsewhere.

In 2015, a change in the law meant a driver does not have to live or operate in the local authority area that grants their licence.

Ms Gill said it is clear to her that action needs to be taken to prevent taxi drivers from being able to register in one local authority but work in another.
Imtiaz Mohammed Image copyright PA
Image caption Father-of-six Imtiaz Mohammed was killed in the crash on Belgrave Middleway in December

It said for it to grant a licence, prospective drivers must meet several criteria, including completing a criminal conviction check (DBS).

Following recommendations by coroner Louise Hunt after Mr Mohammed's inquest, the city council is working on producing a draft drug testing policy for licensed drivers, for consideration by the Licensing and Public Protection Committee.

Raheel Shah, from the West Midlands Private Hire Drivers' Association said he would welcome "any steps" to curb problems since deregulation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45562675