Private hire licence granted to man with previous convictions despite police concerns

West Dunbartonshire Council have granted a private hire driver’s licence to a man with multiple previous convictions. 

Mark Shields went before the council after Police Scotland raised concerns and objected to any licence being issued to him. 

Police Scotland outlined Shields’ previous convictions, which included driving a stolen car and failing to bring back another vehicle he was test driving.

In 2006, Mr Shields was involved in a collision while driving a stolen car. He was convicted of the offence at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, fined £400, and banned from driving for 12 months. In 2018, Mr Shields was found guilty of taking a car from an Edinburgh showroom for a test drive and failing to return the vehicle. He was fined £200 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in April 2019.  According to a report in the Clydesdale Post, Mr Shields has also been reported to the procurator fiscal on suspicion of not paying for fuel on three separate occasions.

On all three occasions it was alleged he filled his vehicle with fuel and then drove off, however he was not charged and prosecuted for the alleged offences because he paid the money back.  Despite his past offences, the licensing committee agreed to give Mr Shields a second chance, granting him a year’s licence.  The committee agreed to reassess Mr Shields licence mid-term on the request of Labour councillor Lawrence O’Neill.  

Image: Source; Geograph 

Image: Author; Stephen Sweeney