Cabbie who illegally picked up customers faces losing his licence

Known as plying for hire, picking up passengers who have not pre-booked with the operator invalidates their insurance and is thus illegal.

Kobina Badu was caught plying for hire in a joint operation by Wolverhampton Council and Telford & Wrekin Council’s licensing teams in November 2022.

Badu agreed to give two undercover Telford &Wrekin Council officers a lift after they approached his Go Carz vehicle near The Parade in Wellington in the early hours of November 27 last year.

Council prosecutor Hafsa Khatun told Telford Magistrates Court that Badu was licensed by Wolverhampton City Council as a private hire operator, meaning he was only permitted to carry passengers on pre-booked journeys.

Badu pleaded guilty to the offence of plying for hire and another charge of driving with no insurance, as his policy would have been invalidated.

Ms Khatun said the council’s enforcement team had been taking part in a joint operation with West Mercia Police on the night in question.

She told the court the undercover council staff approached Badu’s car at 2.16am, and he agreed to take them to a nearby hotel for £15.

Once in the vehicle, the passengers sent messages to police colleagues to alert them, and Badu was pulled over a few minutes into the journey. He was instructed to follow the police car to the hotel where the operation was based

During the journey, Ms Khatun said Badu pleaded with the passengers to tell the police they were friends of his.

Upon arriving in the hotel car park, he was questioned and accepted he knew he was not licensed or insured to pick up fares that were not booked.

An email from Badu’s solicitor was read to the court, saying Badu had worked as a taxi driver since coming to the UK in 2017 and had “never done this before”.

It said he was now likely to have his private hire licence revoked, which would have a “significant impact” on his family as he was the sole earner in his household and had four children.

The letter added: “He really regrets his actions. He has never done this before.”

Addressing the magistrates, Badu said he had finished for the night and the hotel was on his route home, so he agreed to take the passengers as he thought they were visitors to the area who did not know the way.

He said: “I am not a bad person.”

The 42-year-old cabbie from Majestic Way in Aqueduct, Telford, was issued a conditional discharge for six months.

He has also been ordered to pay £576 and had six penalty points added to his driving licence. The licence is now subject to review and may be revoked.

Councillor Craig Collingswood, Wolverhampton Council cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “Public Safety is of paramount importance to us.

“Partnership working with our licensing colleagues and other agencies shows our commitment to upholding our responsibilities; we expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to always maintain the highest standards.

“This is irrespective of the administrative boundary within which they are operating at any particular time.

"Wolverhampton Council takes its enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public.”

Councillor Richard Overton, deputy leader of Telford and Wrekin Council and cabinet member for homes and enforcement said: “These cases show Telford & Wrekin Council is determined to keep cracking down on taxi drivers who break the law and potentially put passengers at risk.

“Plying for hire is a serious offence. It means that if a driver has picked up a fare that has not been pre-booked and they are involved in an accident, they will not have valid insurance.

“We know most licensed drivers operate legitimately but there are those who think they can make extra money by ignoring the rules.

“The council will continue to tackle plying for hire by carrying out operations. We will not hesitate to bring court proceedings which could lead to a driver paying a fine and having their licence suspended. It’s not worth the risk.”

The safest way to use a private hire taxi is to book directly with the operator. This means a customer will be driven by a licensed, insured driver in a licensed, insured vehicle.

It also means there will be a record of their journey, the driver and the vehicle used so it can be traced if necessary.

Telford and Wrekin Council is also hosting a survey about taxi safety and currently inviting people to submit their views.

The council encourages people to report concerns about taxi drivers and vehicles which are licensed by the authority. This can be done online via the Telford and Wrekin Council website.