Staffordshire cabbie loses licence after masturbating at a park

A taxi driver form Staffordshire has lost his hackney carriage licence after allegations of him ‘masturbating’ at a local park. Staffordshire Police received a complaint about the driver, Abdul Hakim Baig, from a member of the public back in October at Bathpool Country Park, in Kidsgrove.

This latest complaint follows three others of ‘inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature’ between 2015 and 2017. Mr Baig’s hackney carriage licence was stripped from him at a private meeting in December with local authorities Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council. The driver appealed the decision however the decision was upheld at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 9th April. Mr Baig had been caught speeding in 2015 and more worryingly driving without insurance in December.

A statement made to the council’s public protection committee said: “The police received a complaint from a member of the public that Mr Baig had been witnessed masturbating in Bathpool Park. Also, between 2015 and 2017, there had been three other complaints made against Mr Baig of inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature. “The council resolved that due to the serious nature of the complaints received and considering the council’s responsibility to ensure the safety of the public that, on the balance of probabilities, Mr Baig was no longer a fit and proper person to hold a hackney carriage licence. In the interests of public safety the licence was revoked with immediate effect.” 

The driver was ordered to pay costs of £300 after the failed appeal.