Magistrates have upheld a decision by Lancaster City Council’s Licensing Regulatory Committee to revoke a taxi driver’s licence after he letting down the tyres of a policeman’s fast response vehicle.
John Mayor, of 24 Brook Road, Morecambe, had his private hire drivers licence revoked by the committee last November, after they were told he had been given a Fixed Penalty Notice for driving in a bus lane by PC Brian Mills-Woods in September.
After he had been issued with the fine, Mr Mayor drove around the one way system in Lancaster, parked his taxi on Queen Street before walking back to the police vehicle. He then proceeded to let the tyres down on the fast response police vehicle that PC Mills-Woods was driving that evening.
PC Mills-Woods was only alerted to the fact his tyres had been deflated when he went back to his vehicle to collect more penalty tickets and noticed Mr Mayor crouching by the car and arrested him.
Mr Mayor appealed the revocation but yesterday, magistrates confirmed the committee’s decision that in view of his actions, Mr Mayor was not a fit and proper person to drive members of the public
“A licence issued by the council to a private hire driver is in effect the council’s seal of approval that the holder is a fit and proper person to drive members of the public,” commented Coun Tony Wade, chairman of the Licensing Regulatory Committee. “Where we have evidence to the contrary we must take action.
“In this instance the committee was of the opinion that Mr Mayor’s reckless actions could have put lives at risk.
“Due to the seriousness of the incident there was reasonable cause to revoke his private hire licence and I am pleased that this decision has been upheld.”