A Bolton taxi driver accused of a shocking sexual assault on a female passenger has been refused a licence renewal after councillors deemed him unfit to carry passengers, particularly those travelling alone.
According to a report presented to Bolton Council’s licensing committee, the alleged incident took place on 27 September 2022, when a woman claimed she woke up in the taxi to find the driver on top of her, grabbing and licking her breasts.
The report continued:
“The passenger passed out in the vehicle, upon coming around, the driver was on top of her, grabbing and licking her breasts. The passenger tried to push him off, but she could not. When the passenger managed to get out of the vehicle, she noticed her belt was undone as well as the button and zip on her trousers.”
The woman later confirmed the details of the assault in a follow-up email sent to the council on 6 October 2022.
The driver, who has not been named, denied the allegations, but the committee stated it found the woman’s account credible and deeply concerning. The panel also noted that 12 other complaints had previously been lodged against the same driver by his private hire operator, alongside multiple warnings in 2021 and 2022 which he allegedly ignored.
The council said the applicant had previously breached licence conditions before his existing licence expired.
During the most recent hearing — held last month but only published in the past week — councillors considered a late request from the applicant to postpone proceedings, citing his wife’s ill health. However, the panel chose to proceed in his absence after he failed to attend for a second consecutive time, having already been warned that the matter would go ahead without him if he did not appear.
After deliberation, the licensing committee unanimously refused the application, stating it had “reasonable cause” to reject it in order to protect public safety.
The committee expressed particular concern for those travelling alone in his vehicle, concluding that the driver was not a fit and proper person to hold a private hire licence.
Source: Men
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