
A Bolton private hire driver has had his licence revoked with immediate effect on grounds of public safety after a council licensing panel rejected his explanation for being arrested in Sheffield with £5,200 cash in his vehicle.
The driver was arrested on September 27, 2024, for the alleged offence of supplying controlled drugs and money laundering, according to minutes published this week from a Bolton council licensing panel meeting held on October 28.
South Yorkshire Police had reportedly observed what they thought was a drug deal. Officers stopped the vehicle and during a search, £5,200 cash was found. Although the police confirmed on the day of the licensing meeting that a decision to take no further action had been made, the panel sought an explanation from the driver about the incident.
The driver's account, detailed in the report, was that he drove to Sheffield - a “good run” to “go up and down hills” - after being advised to do so following a garage visit for a car problem.
His explanation for the cash: “He asked a passing male for directions, this male entered the vehicle and ran off before the police attended.
The male had left a bag in the vehicle containing the large amount of cash found by the police.” He also claimed to have “removed the livery from the vehicle and placed this in the boot.”
The committee ultimately “found that the driver had not told the truth about his reason for driving to Sheffield” and that his account for the cash was “unrealistic.”
The report stated that the committee “believed that a transaction had taken place, on the balance of probabilities.”
The decision to revoke the licence was also influenced by other factors, including:
Concern over a breach of requirements about control of the vehicle mobile phones from April, 2022.
Four separate complaints alleging dangerous driving.
A complaint regarding requesting a cash payment.
The committee unanimously voted to revoke the licence on the grounds of public safety.

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These are the thoughts on this post shared by Rob Finlayson from Saltire Private Hire:

Agree or disagree with this member of trade's email to Thanet council .

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