Two Stoke-on-Trent cabbies have landed themselves in court - after trying to cover up a taxi crash.

Burslem-based ABC Supreme Private Hire operator Neil Wilkes says he did not allow Stoke-on-Trent-licensed driver Salam Ibrahim to drive a cab licensed with Newcastle Borough Council.

But he admitted asking his brother to fill in a council accident form to say he was driving the vehicle.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by false representation when he appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre this week.

It followed 51-year-old Ibrahim - who admitted the same offence - being involved in a crash at the junction of Hamil Road, Burslem, last June.

Instead of informing Stoke-on-Trent City Council of this accident, he lied and told them he was driving a privately-owned vehicle in Warrington when he had the crash.

The prosecution was brought on behalf of Newcastle Borough Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Prosecutor Collette Lamb said: "Neil Wilkes told Newcastle Borough Council that Salam Ibrahim had taken the wrong vehicle as his base holds licences for both Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle.

"Had the accident been properly reported to the council, they would have been aware that an unlicensed driver had been involved in an accident."

Referring to Ibrahim's involvement, Ms Lamb added: "It was only when Stoke-on-Trent City Council received court documents that they realised the collision was in Burslem and not Warrington.

"At a later date he admitted this in an interview with the city council and said the base operator told him to lie on the form."


The court heard Wilkes, of St Andrew's Mews, Wychwood Village, had become bogged down by pressures in his personal life and hadn't realised Ibrahim had taken a Newcastle Borough Council cab.

Scott Anderson, mitigating for Wilkes, said: "He is a gentleman who has not had any difficulties with the council previously. He has a lot going on in his personal life.

"He has elderly parents and a mother who is suffering from dementia and he is spending a lot of time on her care.

"Also his own health has suffered as he found a cancerous lump on his back which has since required treatment.

"Both the vehicle and the driver were licensed in some respect. This was somebody who made a rash decision - a rash decision because he wasn't thinking straight."


Magistrates handed 51-year-old Wilkes a £1,045 court bill for the offence.

Magistrate Jonathon Dennatt told him: "You were responsible for the decision. It was a very silly decision."

The court heard Ibrahim, of Pinfold Avenue, Norton, came to the UK from Iraq.

Mr Anderson, mitigating for Ibrahim, said: "He's the sole breadwinner and places a lot of worth on this licence. He has a large family of six children, his wife has dementia. He still works as a taxi driver and is of previous good character."

Magistrates handed Ibrahim a £710 court bill.

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