Welwyn Hatfield cabbie suspended

Source: Welwyn Hatfield Times

Abdul Mohith appealed to magistrates after being banned from holding a Hackney Carriage licence by Welwyn Hatfield Council.

As the WHT reported back in February, friends Christina Lloyd, and Michelle Lally, both 24, had jumped in the cab at the Forum in Hatfield and believed they had agreed a fixed price of £40 to Old Stevenage.

West Herts Magistrates’ Court in Hemel Hempstead heard Mr Mohith believed the quoted price was an estimate and insisted he told them he would only be using the meter.

Stood at the witness stand, 52-year-old Mr Mohith said in broken English: “No fixed price, I said 100 times no fixed price, I have my hand on the Koran, I’m swearing on the Koran.”

Once the meter reached £40 the women told the court Mr Mohith, who was driving along the A1(M) at the time, slowed down enough for them to think they were going to be dumped on the hard shoulder.

The court heard the women, who were not wearing coats, were dumped at an industrial unit from where they were forced to walk home.

Barrister Peter Miller, for Welwyn Hatfield Council, said Mr Mohith, from High Street, London Colney, had changed his version of events four times and was not a fit and proper person to hold a Hackney Carriage licence, as he was not honest.

Allowing the appeal in part, chairman of the bench Priti Davda, said they felt Mr Mohith’s broken English had not helped in the dealing with the price, he had not unnecessarily prolonged the journey and they did not believe he would have stopped on the motorway.

But she added: “Leaving the two girls on their own to make their way home was not the kind of behaviour expected of a fit and proper taxi driver.” Mrs Davda lifted the permanent ban, suspending Mr Mohith’s taxi licence for nine months.

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