A driver using his vehicle as a private hire car without the appropriate licenses or insurance has been fined over £1500 and had his driving licence endorsed with 8 penalty points.
On 8 December Mr Jason Smith, aged 45 of The Square, Regent Parade in Harrogate, was ordered by Harrogate Magistrates’ Court to pay a total of £1,728 in costs, surcharge and fines for a total of four offences. The offences were: taking private hire fares without a private hire driver’s licence, without a private hire vehicle licence, without an operator’s licence, and without appropriate insurance.
The offences occurred between March 2014 and April 2015.
Mr Smith also had his licence endorsed with 8 penalty points.
Mr Smith was been caught by the councils Licensing Enforcement Officer taking private hire fares as part of a contract with a local company which he had held for 13 months.
Councillor John Ennis is the chair of Harrogate Borough Council’s Licensing Committee. He said:
The checks that we make on licensed drivers and vehicles are paramount in ensuring passenger safety.
This case was made worse by the fact that the vehicle wasn’t appropriately insured either. I hope this case sends a clear message that the council will not tolerate unlicensed vehicles or drivers putting the travelling public at risk.
