A man admitted illegal taxi touting in Paddington after he was caught out by two plain clothes police officers.
Ahmed Bakir, 48, of Wrottesley Road, Kensal Green, pleaded guilty to taxi-touting and driving without the necessary insurance in London Street on May 20. He appeared at West London Magistrates' Court yesterday.
At around 1.15am, two plain clothes police officers were approached by Bakir, who offered to take them to Southall for a fee of £20. Bakir then led the officers towards his Toyota car, and when they got in, they revealed their true identities. In police interview, he said he had financial difficulties and had been trying to make some money through taxi-touting.
Defending himself in court, Bakir admitted he had been given a fine for a similar offence in December and said he carried out this offence to pay for those costs. He added: "I don't have any money, but I'm looking for another job now."
Bakir was disqualified from driving for four months and ordered to pay a £250 fine, costs of £50 and a £15 victim surcharge.
Original article reproduced by kind permission of Juliet Eysenck.
www.westminsterchronicle.co.uk
http://westminster.londoninformer.co.uk/2010/05/paddington-taxi-tout-caught-ou.html
Obviously Mr Bakir is an unlicensed Mini Cab driver or the Phil Mitchell look-i-like from Palestra would have taken his license in his one hit and your out program.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't he?
New figures presented on the LCDC blog confirm that 25% of licensed mini cab drivers covicted of touting have not lost their license.
Wonder why?
Perhaps they work for the real man behind the throne at Palestra!