Cabbie wins licence appeal after bomb threat

A cabbie who posted a Facebook message claiming that his parked vehicle contained a bomb has had the decision to revoke his taxi license overturned. 

Barrow Crown Court heard how Gordon Welsh, had parked his car on a piece of land in New Road, Kendal. He then posted a message on Facebook claiming that the vehicle had been packed with 40kg of the explosive amatol along with a mercury switch. The incident took place in Novermber 2017

He then, in an unrelated incident, was convicted and subsequently fined for common assault.

As a result of the conviction, Welsh's license to operate was revoked according to a report by The Westmorland Gazette

The cabbie subsequently launched an appeal against the revocation of his license in August 2018, but his appeal was rejected. 

He successfully made a second appeal, with the judge stating that the decision to lift the revocation was marginal.

Justice Gibson took into consideration the fact that Welsh's assault conviction was at the lower end of the scale, and as such was not strictly grounds for the revocation itself.

He also considered the bomb threat to be not a serious or credible threat.

Welsh, a dual license holder, was warned about his future conduct.

South Lakeland District Council made no comment on the outcome, other than to state that it respected the courts decision.