A taxi driver who made lewd comments to a 14-year-old passenger has lost his private hire licence and has been landed with a £5,000 bill.
Shahid Usmani, who drives for Speedline Taxis in Old Stratford, had collected the teenager girl from Milton Keynes to take her home in May last year.

But she fled without paying the fare after he made sexually-suggestive comments to her, prompting South Northamptonshire Council to revoke his taxi licence.

Usmani claimed the girl had made up the allegation against him because she had not paid the fare.

However, after magistrates in Towcester allowed him to continue driving a taxi, the local authority appealed the decision and successfully won its appeal at Northampton Crown Court.

Peter Miller, for the council, said: "Put shortly, the appellant was found not to be a fit and proper person and the reason is he was found to have behaved inappropriately."

The girl, who is now aged 15 and cannot be named, gave evidence, telling the court that he failed to take her on the most direct route home and had asked her inappropriate questions about having a boyfriend and whether she was sexually active.

The court was also told Usmani had asked her: "Will you have sex with me if I take you shopping?"

She was cross-examined in court by Usmani despite having made allegations of a sexual nature against him.

Last August, South Northamptonshire Council revoked his private hire licence but in March magistrates decided the council had relied too heavily on the girl's account and there was no evidence he was lying, so allowed his appeal and returned the licence, allowing him to work as again as a taxi driver.

The council appealed and Judge Charles Wide QC, sitting with two magistrates, decided Usmani's account was "untruthful", revoked his taxi licence and awarded costs against him.

The judge said: "We are sure the girl is telling the truth and Mr Usmani is not. We have to consider whether he is a fit and proper person to have a taxi licence. The conclusion we come to is 'No, he is not'."

Usmani, 38, from Luton, had his private hire licence revoked and was ordered to pay £5,000 towards the council's costs for bringing the case.

The girl's mother said: "I wasn't best pleased about him questioning her in court because he made her cry, but she can get on with her life now."

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Sexcase-driver-39unfit-to-be.4263124.jp