Posted on the 21st January 2026 in PHTM News

COSTLY MISTAKE: SLOUGH DRIVER FINED £2,268 AFTER ILLEGAL PLYING AT HENLEY REGATTA

A Slough-based chauffeur who turned to illegal "plying for hire" when a pre-booked job failed to materialise has been ordered to pay over £2,000 and hit with eight penalty points.

Shafqat Ali, 36, was working at the Henley Regatta on July 5 last year when he bypassed strict licensing laws. While drivers from outside South Oxfordshire are permitted to operate in the district only with pre-arranged bookings, Ali accepted fares without the necessary pre-booking.

Appearing before Reading Magistrates’ Court on January 9, Ali pleaded guilty to: unlawfully plying for hire; driving without the required insurance; failing to wear his Transport for London-issued driver’s badge.

The court heard that although Ali had a previously "faultless driving record," the breach was significant. The lack of a pre-booking meant his insurance was invalidated, a risk the council warns can lead to “potentially dangerous untraceable and uninsured journeys.”

The magistrates imposed a heavy financial penalty, totalling £2,268 which comprised: £384 fine for unlawful plying, £576 fine for the insurance breach, a victim surcharge of £384 plus £924 in additional costs

Ali’s DVLA licence was also endorsed with eight penalty points.

The prosecution serves as a stern warning to out-of-district drivers tempted by the crowds of major events.

Maggie Filipova-Rivers, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, emphasised that the authority would not overlook such breaches. “Unlawful taxi operations undermine our licensing system,” Filipova-Rivers stated. “This sentencing reaffirms that we have a zero-tolerance approach for unlawful taxi operations across the district.”


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