MIlton Keynes

A 61-YEAR-OLD taxi driver has had his licence temporarily taken off him for thefts he did as a teenager.

Meanwhile taxi company, Cybercars, registered in Northampton but operating in Milton Keynes, is trying to cash in on the taxi licensing scandal by tweeting about his ‘more reliable’ CRB checks.

George Turner, from Coffee Hall, was shocked when his school badge, that allows him to take children to and from school, was suspended which he believed was part of Milton Keynes Council’s review into drivers.

He said: “Because of the actions of the mayor, I and other taxi drivers are now having their livelihoods taken away.
“I have a couple of traces of petty theft offences that were committed when I was a teenager over 40 years ago. And I haven’t been told when and if I will get my school badge back.”

A spokesman from the council said: “We have suspended a number of permissions for drivers who had contracts to take children to school, where evidence of a criminal record or caution has been found, and we are in the process of interviewing those drivers.

“We are looking at each individual case on its own merits, and some drivers, for example with minor offences going back many years, will continue to be allowed to drive on these contracts, until we’ve interviewed them.”

In the mean time, Cybercars owned by Clive Pinder based in Deanshanger and registered with South Northamptonshire Council, is trying to benefit from the taxi licensing review by tweeting comments like “

@MKEYNESTAXIS: warning rapist taxi drivers from Milton Keynes but not with our firm licensed by South Northants.”

http://www.mkweb.co.uk/Taxi-driver-licence-taken-away-Milton-Keynes/story-23025891-detail/story.html
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Eire.

Two males in their late teens have been arrested by Gardaí in relation to the assault and robbery of taxi driver John Ford in the early hours of  September 19.

The teenagers are currently being detained for questioning at Mayfield and Gurranabraher Garda Stations under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. They can be held for up to 24 hours.

John Ford sustained serious facial injuries in the attack by two passengers in the Dublin Hill area of the city last month. His Toyota Avensis was stolen and later found crashed near Kileens.

Gardaí state that the investigation is ongoing.

http://www.eveningecho.ie/2014/10/01/arrests-taxi-driver-attack-investigation/
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 OLDHAM.  Cabbie jailed for sex with 14-year-old girl

AN Oldham taxi driver who took advantage of a drunken underage girl has been jailed for four years.

Asif Ali’s young victim, who had been given alcohol and cigarettes, eventually managed to fight her way out of the parked car in Alexandra Park. She ran off half-clothed and shoeless but managed to flag down a passing car and was taken home, where she told police she had been raped.

The court heard the girl had been picked up late at night as she walked home from Oldham town centre, where she had been drinking with friends.

She got into a taxi around Keswick Avenue and Honeywell Lane, which shortly afterwards parked alongside a second taxi. 

After a conversation between the drivers, the second man got into the car and they drove to Alexandra Park where the girl was assaulted.

Charlotte Crangle, prosecuting, said the girl’s recollections were hazy but remembered lying in the back seat with the man on top of her, and that she fought and kicked before she could wrench open the car door and run. Her underwear and a pair of earrings were found later during a police search.

Ms Crangle told the court: “It is clear that at some time during that night this man did have sex with the girl, who was vulnerable and drunk.”

Manchester Crown Court heard how Ali (41) of Fern Street, would have got away with the attack in August 2006, but for coming to the attention of the police five years later, when his DNA was matched to samples from the girl.

Ali at first denied the attack but later admitted sexual activity with a child.

Mohammed Qazi, defending, said his client’s life since being arrested had been “chaotic and difficult,” that he had separated from his wife and young children, had few job prospects and his health had suffered.

Ali will serve half his sentence in prison and he will be subject to the sexual offences prevention order.

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/88239/cabbie-jailed-for-sex-with-14yearold-girl