A private hire driver licensed by Solihull Council who had his licence revoked on public safety grounds after an alleged sexual assault on a customer had his appeal dismissed yesterday (12 August) at Birmingham Magistrates Court.
Tariq Rehman (47) of Stuarts Road, Stechford, had his licence revoked with immediate effect in November following an alleged sexual assault. Following the revocation, the court heard that Mr Rehman was abusive and threatening to staff at Solihull Council and the private hire operator he had been working for.
He then lodged an appeal against the decision.
Birmingham Magistrates Court upheld Solihull Council’s original decision on 12 August because of the complaints made against Mr Rehman and ordered him to pay costs of £1,200.
Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Wazma Qais, said: “As the licensing authority we have a duty to protect members of the public. Anyone stepping into a taxi or private hire vehicle must be able to trust the driver so I am pleased that Birmingham Magistrates Court upheld our decision to revoke Mr Rehman’s licence.
“I would like to say thank you to our staff in regulatory services for the way they have handled this case and also to the brave woman who reported the sexual assault in the first place. I hope this case reassures our residents and customers that we will listen to you and take action accordingly.”
For more information about Solihull Council’s taxi licensing policy please see - Strategies - Regulatory Services | solihull.gov.uk