Scores of taxi drivers given licenses regardless of having convictions for violent offences | EUROtoday

Scores of taxi drivers have been capable of acquire licenses regardless of having convictions for violent offences, a charity has discovered.

Data obtained following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveals drivers with convictions, together with for violent crimes like assault, battery and harassment, have nonetheless been given licences though licensing authorities are conscious of the offences they dedicated.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a number one anti-stalking and harassment charity which unearthed the figures, warned ladies are being positioned in danger when sharing automobiles with drivers who’ve a historical past of violence as they urged ministers to overtake the legislation.

Researchers, who obtained responses from 28 native authorities, estimated 90 licences got to drivers with convictions for violent offences, whereas an additional 68 had been granted to drivers who’ve a spread of site visitors, driving or automobile associated convictions comparable to drink driving and reckless driving.

The mom and brother of Sian O’Callaghan – who was killed by Christopher Halliwell after moving into his taxi when leaving a nightclub in Swindon in 2011 – instructed The Independent about their “devastating” loss.

Halliwell is serving an entire life time period for the murders of 22-year-old Ms O’Callaghan in March 2011 and 20-year-old intercourse employee Becky Godden in January 2003.

Research by YouGov and Suzy Lamplugh Trust discovered three in ten of greater than 4,200 adults they polled really feel unsafe when utilizing taxis – with seven in ten saying they’d really feel much less in danger if the legislation was modified so drivers with a historical past of aggressive or abusive behaviour can’t get a licence.

Elaine Pickford, the mom of Ms O’Callaghan, recalled the “devastating” second they had been instructed her daughter’s physique had been discovered.

“13 years on, the more time that passes for me personally, the more time I’m aware that she hasn’t lived and where she would be now if she had of – what life she would have had,” she added.

Recalling the interval when her daughter was lacking, she stated: “Most of us weren’t sleeping or grabbing sleep for very short times here and there. And it was such a fast pace.”

“You’re just running on whatever you can run on, really, and it’s hard to put into words what that is, because for everybody it’s a bit different I suppose. You’re thrown into complete and utter chaos and just getting through every minute the best you can.”

Sian’s brother Liam O’Callaghan stated: “It’s always challenging. The thing is you never fully get over what’s happened and the sense of loss. But you just build around it”.

Ms Pickford and Mr O’Callaghan had been concerned in campaigning for the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles Act 2022 that led to improved sharing of knowledge between native authorities on drivers.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust referred to as for the federal government to urgently roll out laws that establishes nationwide minimal requirements for licences for drivers in addition to regulating drivers like professions comparable to educating so background checks are extra stringent.

Researchers warned it’s tough to correctly grasp the dimensions of the issue attributable to licencing authorities not telling them what number of of their presently licenced drivers maintain convictions and for which offences.

“You are getting in a vehicle with a stranger, not knowing anything about their previous history,” Saskia Garner, of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, instructed The Independent. “And they can lock you in, and they can take you wherever they want.”

Discussing the homicide of Ms O’Callaghan, she added: “Sian got into that vehicle doing the thing that every woman is told to do, which is ‘Get a taxi home, don’t walk down a dark road’.”

She stated present guidelines imply particular person authorities could make up their very own thoughts about what constitutes a protected driver.

“Given that the drivers can go to anywhere in the country, obtain a license, and then go and operate somewhere completely different, you can’t be sure that any driver has been vetted appropriately,” Ms O’Callaghan stated.

“If the checks are the same on every single driver then people will be reassured that the highest standards are being applied whichever driver they go with.”

Jim Button, president of the Institute of Licensing, stated “There is no doubt that the standards applied by licensing authorities in relation to determining whether a person is safe and suitable to be a taxi driver vary hugely across England and Wales.

“The Institute of Licensing supports calls for legislation in this area. In the meantime, it encourages all licensing authorities to adopt the guidelines published by the Institute of Licensing.

“It is vital that applicants’ and licensees’ history of concerning behaviour is taken into account by licensing authorities: they should have a clear policy detailing which crimes and behaviours will result in licence refusal or revocation, and that should be adhered to.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport stated “keeping passengers safe is the top priority”, including that drivers in England already need to bear the “highest-level background checks”.

The consultant added: “Before deciding to issue a licence, authorities must consult a national database which logs if someone has had a licence refused, suspended, or revoked. We are also currently considering further options to improve safety around taxi licensing.”