Trafford
A SECOND taxi driver has been convicted following a council sting operation on matchday outside Manchester United Football Club.
At Trafford Magistrates Court on 6 February 2015, Prince Anthony Chukwuma, 40, of Abbey Court, Abbey Hey Lane, Gorton, was convicted in his absence of picking up a fare without a booking, driving without insurance and failing to wear his driver's badge.
He was fined a total of £800, given six penalty points on his licence, ordered to pay costs of £453.45 and a victim surcharge of £60.
Mr Anthony was one of a number of private hire drivers caught out by checks conducted at the end of the Manchester United game against Crystal Palace on November 8.
He was approached by two council officers posing as potential customers while parked up on Chester Road.
They confirmed with him that he was free to take them to Piccadilly Station.
The operation was one of a series planned to take place this season in response to reports to the council of widespread problems with illegal plying around the ground on match days.
Executive member for environment and operations, councillor John Reilly said: "This has been an expensive lesson for the taxi driver, one which the council hopes is heeded by other drivers thinking of flouting what are important legal controls.
“The law is clear, only Hackney Carriages can be hailed in the street without a booking. By making illegal pick-ups in this way, private hire drivers invalidate their insurance, put customers at risk and also take business from those operating within the law.
“Trafford Council will not tolerate this and as this case demonstrates, will do everything in its power to crack down on this illegal activity."
http://www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/11786054._/?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LEEDS
A TEENAGE student had to have her leg amputated after being knocked down by a speeding taxi driver on a pedestrian crossing in Leeds.
Corrinna Osborne suffered horrific injuries after being struck by Mahboob Hussain as he tried to beat traffic lights.
After the collision Hussain drove off and left the 18-year-old laying in the road.
The incident happened at the crossing on Dewsbury Road near to the entrance to the M621, on the outskirts of Leeds city centre.
Corrinna had just completed her A levels and was looking forward to starting a career at the time of the incident in November 2013.
She has been left wheelchair-bound after her right leg had to be amputated below the knee.
The collision has also left her with a facial disfigurement.
In a statement read out on her behalf at Leeds Crown Court, Corrinna described the impact the injuries had had on her life.
She said: “I feel since the accident my life is now over and I will be unable to do what I wanted to do, which makes me feel like I am a burden and worthless and useless to society.”
Hussain, a driver with Leeds-based Aireline Taxis, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident.
He was also banned from driving for seven years.
After the collision he drove to his taxi office before returning to the scene and admitting responsibility.
The court heard he also rang 999 and told the operator that a pedestrian had run out in front of him.
Hussain, of Gladstone Street, Bradford served a driving ban in 2009 after receiving points on his licence for speeding and driving while using a mobile phone.
He has also receiving a fixed penalty notice for driving through a red light.
A pedestrian witness described hearing Hussain revving the engine and increasing speed as he approached the junction.
He around and could see Hussain’s Skoda Octavia approach the crossing and trying to swerve to avoid Corrinna before the was an “almighty bang”. The teenager was thrown nine metres along the road and suffered serious multiple injuries.
An accident investigator concluded that Hussain would have had ten seconds to see Corrinna and react if he had been travelling within the 30mph speed limit.
Matthew Harding, mitigating, said: “He is sorry for what happened to Miss Osborne and her family. If he could turn back the clock he would.”
Mr Harding said it was a stretch of motorway where drivers often broke the speed limit.
He added: “It is a broad area leading up to the motorway and this case serves as a timely reminder against people doing that.”
Jailing Hussain, Recorder Anthony Hawks said: “She is a young woman who had her life in front of her and she should not have to live with the consequences of that night.
“I have read testimonials that you are a decent, hard working man and I sentence you on the basis that you did a dangerous and stupid thing, the consequences of which are likely to haunt you for the rest of your life.”
After the case, Corrinna, now aged 20, told the YEP she was satisfied with the sentence and was now looking forward to rebuilding her life.
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/leeds-student-has-leg-amputated-after-being-knocked-down-by-speeding-taxi-driver-on-pedestrian-crossing-1-7101624
