FOI request revealed 14 taxi and private hire drivers in Kirklees had their licences revoked in the

A Freedom of Information request reported by the ExaminerLive, showed that 14 taxi and/or private hire drivers had their licences revoked due to sexual assaults in nature and one was for a drugs offence.

The report came after it was revealed that fifty drivers across Kirklees have had their licences revoked during the same period.

Details of the remaining licence relocations were not stated but Kirklees Council said that the number amounts to around 2% of licensed drivers.

According to the report they also said that some of the sexual assault revocations were not from actual convictions but from incidents believed to have taken place.

One taxi driver and a member of Kirklees Hackney Carriage Association, said he thought the recent grooming scandals have handed "too much power" to licensing officers at Kirklees Council.

He also pointed out that he feels Muslim drivers, who represent 99% of the drivers, are being made "scapegoats" and are being targeted by the authorities.

He said: "I don't think we should be treated in this way."

Karl Battersby, Strategic Director for Economy and Infrastructure at Kirklees Council said that residents safety was at the top of their priorities and will take no risks.

He added: "Where we find a concern we will take the necessary action required and if that means revoking someone's licence, that's what we'll do. "In the last four years we have revoked 50 licenses. However, it’s important to note that in the same period of time 213 new licenses and 3030 renewals have been issued. "The revoked licenses amount to approximately two per cent of licensed drivers.”

Image: Source; Geograph

Author; Ian S