A Stockton taxi driver who had his licence suspended over claims he was using a mobile phone behind the wheel has been allowed back to work after convincing councillors he remained a fit and proper person to hold one.
The case came before Stockton Borough Council’s General Licensing Committee, which was asked to decide whether the combined hackney carriage and private hire driver was still fit to keep his licence. The suspension followed evidence that suggested he had been operating a mobile phone while driving, with the case built around CCTV screenshots, interview transcripts and a collection of social media videos linked to the driver’s online content.
The driver disputed the allegations. He told members he had three cameras mounted in the car, all hands-free — two fitted in the cab for safeguarding himself and passengers, as recommended by policy, and his own GoPro that he used for filming outside the vehicle for his TikTok account. The GoPro footage, he explained, was sent automatically to his phone, which he then edited and uploaded only when he was not driving.
The committee heard the driver liked making TikTok videos as a hobby and, in some cases, used artificial intelligence to create clips. His representative said one video had been filmed by the driver’s nephew from the passenger seat, while another had been sent to him by a friend and uploaded — something the driver said he regretted, explaining the person in it had tried to steal from him. The driver also demonstrated to members how AI could be used to generate some of the footage.
After what the committee described as much deliberation, members lifted the suspension and reinstated the licence, ruling the driver was a fit and proper person to hold it. A warning about his future conduct was placed on his record, with the committee telling him to be careful about what he uploads online and the comments he makes over footage, as it could reflect on the trade.
For drivers, it’s a reminder that what goes on your social media can land squarely on a licensing committee’s desk — even footage filmed legitimately and hands-free. If you film for a channel, keep your editing and uploading well away from the driver’s seat, and think twice before sharing clips involving passengers or members of the public.
Thanks for visiting DM News! If you’ve got a question, a story tip, or anything you’d like to share, head over to DriverMatty.com — I love to hear from you. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out my other websites and social media channels.
Sources
