Taxi license checks: Hull cab driver launches petition after rape case
CALLS are growing for tighter security checks after a licensed taxi driver was convicted of raping a young woman.
Hadi Mohammed, a driver with Hull firm 60-60-60, was jailed for raping the 18-year-old when he picked her up in city centre.
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Security call: Black cab driver Peter Nilsson has set up a petition.
He was vetted by Hull City Council but not seen as a danger and granted a taxi licence.
Now, black cab driver Peter Nilsson has launched an online petition demanding better checks.
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Mr Nilsson said: "If a foreign national comes into this country a check should be done on them.
"Unless they can provide evidence from their own country the legislation should prevent authorities in this country from granting them a licence."
All new drivers have enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks revealing previous convictions to discover if they might be a danger to the public.
But immigrants to Hull and the East Riding are not always subject to the same background checks in their home countries.
Instead, embassies can supply a letter confirming they are safe.
But Mr Nilsson does not believe that is good enough.
He said: "The council are tied. They have to follow the legislation to the letter of the law.
"Because of that they're issuing badges to people who should never be getting badges."
Mr Nilsson's petition already has more than 100 signatures.
He hopes to speak at a Hull City Council meeting on Thursday, October 18.
And councillor Nadine Fudge, chair of the licensing committee, said she is going to ask the council to lobby for a change in the law.
She said: "I'm bringing a motion up about it – not just for foreign people but for anyone who comes into the country after spending time abroad.
"It will ask the Government to look into the legislation.
"We have to abide by our legislation – we can't help that."
Her calls echo concerns voiced earlier this week by Kevin Marsh, manager of 57 Taxis.
He said: "The council needs to look at another way of doing it.
"At the moment, once they come to your office with a taxi badge, as far as anyone's concerned, they're safe to drive.
"We want to make the council aware that maybe foreign drivers shouldn't be able to drive for five or ten years."
As reported previously, Mohammed picked up his victim and a male friend illegally after a night out.
Mohammed insisted on dropping her friend off in Bransholme before driving to her home in west Hull.
But on the way Mohammed pulled over, climbed into the back and carried out the horrifying attack.
Following a trial, he was jailed for eight years at Bradford Crown Court.
Visit www.nocrbnobadge. co.uk to sign Mr Nilsson's petition. He is also on Twitter @NoCRBNoBadge
Comments
by kerry73des
Sunday, October 14 2012, 10:05AM
“i just want to add to these comments, my 18 year old daughter did the sensible thing last night and ordered a taxi from 353535 taxis, they texted her to say her taxi was there she went outside to find it driving off with someone else in it, she rang them back and was told that a mini bus was on its way to her, when that arrived he said that it wasnt for her, so she rang back again and was told by an abusive power mad telephonist that she wasnt getting another taxi and slammed the phone down on her. She rang 706706 who did pick her up (thank you 706), i rang 35 when my daughter got in and was met with the same rubbish my child got, so to the managers at 35 train your staff to be polite manners cost nothing as far as im aware its illegal to just pick people up off the street and your also not insured for it. In my opinion something needs to be done about the taxi services in this town. people safety is at risk and i thinks its disgusting !!!!!”
by computergeek
Monday, October 08 2012, 8:26PM
“People with RESTRAINING orders don't present a threat to society, but a threat to an individual... Even more so when it's not necessarily true...”
by sniper666
Monday, October 08 2012, 2:59PM
“Maybe they should also look at people with restaining orders too.... people in glass houses.......”
by steveodore
Sunday, October 07 2012, 7:41PM
“using only locally born English taxi drivers is a start.”
by steveodore
Sunday, October 07 2012, 7:40PM
“A CRB check doesn't prove you've never done anything wrong, it's just shows you've never been caught doing anything wrong.
I am personally against any immigration of people to do low skilled/paid jobs. We have plenty of our own people desperate for work, we have plenty of work shy benefit claimants. When all these people are in work, then maybe allow some regulated immigration to fill any vacancies.
This open frontier policy of the EU has had a devastating effect on employment chances for the ordinary mortgage paying working man of Hull. Time for a change me thinks, using only locally born E”
by Prescotts_Cat
Sunday, October 07 2012, 5:29PM
“It would be much easier if economic migrants were banned from entering the country. And those already here should be deported.”
by DocRay
Sunday, October 07 2012, 12:57PM
“Bring back the knowledge test. Bring back the maximum limit on the age of the taxi. Bring in more surveillance of the illegal plying for hire backed up with sanctions and fines in courts. Complain to the private hire operator/office if you are not satisfied with the service-you would for anyhting else you think you have been sold short on.”
by tosh1958
Sunday, October 07 2012, 9:06AM
“My wife now asks for an English driver and according to her driver last night a lot of other people are doing the same, so lets use customer power to get rid of those we are unsure of!”
by raydbrown
Sunday, October 07 2012, 3:50AM
“Not saying everyone has that opinion of us drivers but some people do judging by these comments on here. The petition is just to get the crbs to go a bit more in depth with all of us. Foreign and British. To benefit the general publics safety. Quite a few drivers do pay no attention to their personal hygiene, cars cleanliness and can have attitude problems but not all like that. Just report them then it may make us all smarter instead of just some of us”
by thesnooper
Sunday, October 07 2012, 12:36AM
“oh yeah there is 1 very arrogant driver driving a white cab plate 57 not a nice chap at all”