Taxi driver has licence revoked after using mobile phone whilst driving

04 September 2024

A taxi driver from Wellingborough has had his licence revoked and been ordered to pay costs of £1,500 after using a mobile phone whilst driving a private hire vehicle.

On 10 August 2023, Mr Kamal Hussain of Alexandra Road, Wellingborough was driving a private hire vehicle on a booked journey with passengers under the age of 16 from Rushden to Wellingborough.

During the journey, the driver was using his mobile phone which the passenger in the front seat recorded on her mobile phone and the parent of two of the children made a complaint to NNC on 11 August 2023.

Two of the children helped the council with the investigation and the driver was taken to a Licensing Panel hearing in October 2023. The panel’s decision was to revoke Mr Hussain’s Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Licence with immediate effect on the grounds of public safety.

Mr Hussain appealed the decision, and the case was heard at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on 28 August 2024 where the two children were witnesses in court.

The Magistrates decided that the Licensing Panel made the right decision to revoke the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Licence and the appeal was dismissed, with full costs of £1,500 awarded.

This is a truly shocking case, which is made even worse when you consider that all the passengers were under the age of 16. Taxi drivers are trusted by us, and the passengers that use the services, to drive safely and I am pleased that the Magistrates agreed with the decision made by our Licensing Panel.

I would like to also take this opportunity to thank the young people involved, especially those who were witnesses in court, and their families who helped with this case, it did make a difference.Cllr David Brackenbury, the council’s Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration

The majority of our taxi drivers conduct themselves to the highest of standards and our officers work hard to ensure that these standards are met, and the safety of passengers is not put at risk. The ending of this story could have been very different, with the driver putting the safety of his passengers and other road users at risk.Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council