A court has supported a decision from Reigate and Banstead Borough Council to revoke a taxi driver’s licence.

The action resulted from an allegation about the driver by one of his passengers.  The Council, which licences private hire drivers in the borough, revoked Mr Shahid Tafader’s licence last November because of an allegation of an inappropriate conversation of a sexual nature with a lone female passenger.  Mr Tafader from Horley then appealed to the Council to review its decision but the appeal was unsuccessful. He then appealed to Redhill Magistrates and then to Guildford Crown Court but his appeals were rejected at both stages. 

As well as supporting the Council’s decision to revoke Mr Tafader’s licence, Guildford Crown Court ordered him to pay Council costs of £4,500, in addition to £700 costs already imposed by Redhill Magistrates.