
Three taxi drivers have been fined and given penalty points for illegally picking up undercover officers outside Old Trafford stadium on Manchester United matchdays.
The drivers all held hackney carriage licences issued by Manchester City Council, which meant they were not legally allowed to pick up unbooked passengers within the Trafford area. Because the journeys were not pre-booked, the drivers' vehicle insurance was completely invalidated.
Undercover licensing enforcement officers spotted the taxis with their signs lit up before and after home games against Burnley and Everton. The officers requested trips to the city centre, and once the journeys began, they identified themselves and ordered the drivers to pull over.
Trafford Council subsequently brought the prosecutions at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
The three drivers faced heavy financial penalties:
Ishtiaq Hussain Bibi, 47, of Manchester, pleaded guilty to illegally plying for hire and driving without insurance after offering a £10 trip to the city centre. He was fined £240, ordered to pay a £96 surcharge and £100 in costs, and received six penalty points.
Minas Tewolde, 58, of Eccles, was found guilty of illegally plying for hire, driving without insurance, and failing to wear his driver’s badge. He was fined £660, ordered to pay a £264 surcharge and £580 in costs, and received six penalty points.
Erdan Shifa Mohammed, 50, of Salford, pleaded guilty to similar offences after asking for £25 in cash for a 4.5-mile trip. He was fined £400, ordered to pay a £160 surcharge and £300 in costs, and received six penalty points.
Councillor Keleigh Glenton, executive member for community safety at Trafford Council, said: "These drivers committed the offence of illegally plying for hire and, in doing so, invalidated their insurance."
She added that the council's enforcement team is dedicated to protecting passengers and supporting rule-abiding drivers. "These cases highlight that courts take a very dim view of this behaviour," Glenton noted. "On top of the financial penalties, the points added to drivers’ licences will have a much more lasting impact on them."

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