City Council issues private hire licence to a man who was caught with his trousers around his ankles

A man has been granted a private hire licence by Glasgow’s licensing committee despite being caught by the police with his trousers around his ankles with a prostitute he had just picked up. Mohammed Nasir Ashgari was watched by police officers during a ‘prostitution sting’ pick up the woman in the city centre and drive her to an open-air supermarket car park.

Ashgari was arrested by the officers after they found him behind the wheel of his vehicle with his trousers “at his ankles”. Glasgow’s licensing committee has now issued Ashgari a private hire licence to ferry passengers around town despite concerns over the safety of potential customers, the Evening Times first reported. Ashgari told the committee that he had picked the woman up with the intention of just going home, but she then asked if he wanted to pay money for sex. He said that he first declined the proposal but then “changed my mind. I don’t know why.” The committee asked him his motive for applying for a private hire licence and whether he was likely to re-offend. Ashgari said: “There is no way I would take advantage of women that get into my car. “The reason that I want to be a cab driver is that I’m taking a gap year and going to university next year. “I want to earn a bit of money, so I’ll be able to focus on my studies. This will give me more flexibility.” Speaking to Ashgari, committee member Aileen McKenzie said:

“You said there was no way that you’d take advantage of vulnerable drunk women in the back seat of your car who are relying on you for safety. “The fact that you had this lady in your car in the first place, did it not cross your mind that she was a vulnerable young lady. “Maybe there will be circumstances where there are girls who are drunk come into your car. They might find you attractive. What are you going to do then? “There is no difference between picking a lady up in the street and picking up the vulnerable woman you were found with. She is just as vulnerable as the girls in the back of your car.”

Alex Wilson, licensing chairman, added: “What you did is an offence and you got a warning for your behaviour. What would disturb me more would be is if you got a private hire driver’s licence and you asked a vulnerable young female to do something like this again.” Despite their concerns, Mr Ashgari was granted a restricted licence for one year and was given a warning about his future conduct.