Private Hire Driver suspended for leaving offensive voicemails on female passenger's phone

A Bolton private hire driver has had his licence suspended for eight weeks after council officials were played offensive voicemail messages that he had left on a female passenger's phone.

The driver confessed to leaving voice messages on his customers phone but claimed the offensive remarks he made were in fact directed at a group of youths that were throwing stones at his vehicle, and also added that he thought he had ended his voicemail before making those comments.

The female passenger said she was offended by the drivers comments which her child also heard.

Two previous complaints made against the same driver were presented to members of Bolton Council, leaving them no choice but to issue a punishment to the offender.

Members unanimously voted to suspend the man's private hire licence under the grounds of;

not being satisfied that he is a fit and proper person to hold a licence at this time.

According to a report in the Bolton News, during the same council meeting, a different driver was refused having a new licence issued after he was caught "plying for hire".

He was also found guilty of not having the correct insurance to carry passengers and will now have to serve a two year ban before being able to reapply for a new licence.