ST HELENS
A Taxi driver was found to have two defective front tyres and an unlicensed car was caught operating illegally as late night-checks were made on vehicles in St Helens.
Licensing officers from the council and police were involved with the operation to check taxi driver standards as people returned to the town's nightspots.
The checks took place last weekend in St Helens town centre and across the borough.
In total 43 vehicles and their drivers were checked over Friday and Saturday night.
https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/19337789.police-take-action-action-defective-unlicensed-taxis/
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REDCAR
The driver who was behind the wheel of the taxi which hit Liam Hibbins will not be charged with any offence, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has confirmed.
The 26-year-old landscape gardener died after being hit by a car, driven by Colin Clarke, on an unlit section of the Coast Road in Redcar.
Liam, who had spent the day at the races with friends, was believed to have been attempting to flag down a taxi as he made his way home to Skelton.
He was rushed to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where he passed away as a result of head and neck injuries on October 8, 2017.
During his inquest, held at Teesside Coroner's Court this week, Coroner Clare Bailey ruled that Mr Clarke was, on the basis of probability, speeding at the time.
Mr Clarke told the hearing, sitting at Teesside Magistrates' Court, that he was completing his final job, transporting two passengers, and travelling with his dipped beam headlights on the lowest setting.
He said he began to accelerate when the speed limit on the Coast Road changed from 30mph to 40mph and saw what he described as a "silhouette" around 16m ahead of him.
Mr Clarke said he did not realise it was Mr Hibbins, who was wearing dark clothes and had his back to him, until he was was five metres away and it was too late to stop.
https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/taxi-driver-tragic-case-liam-20691195
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LONDON
The British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for help in identifying two men who attacked and robbed a taxi driver in Beckenham.
The violent attack, in which the driver was repeatedly punched in the head, took place at Beckenham Station last Friday (May 21).
Officers have today released an image of one man in connection with the assault, who they are asking the public to help identify.
At around 4.20pm last Friday (May 21), the taxi driver picked up the two men from Bromley High Street.
The BTP said the men became "verbally aggressive and threatening" towards the victim during their journey in his taxi.
Their behaviour caused the taxi driver to stop at Beckenham Station and get out of his car, at which point one of the men followed the driver and punched him several times in the head.
Meanwhile, the other man robbed the driver’s car, taking his ID card and other belongings, before joining his companion in the attack.
https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/taxi-driver-punched-head-robbed-20699666
