”A BIT SQUIFFY”: Private hire vehicle driver licence revoked after drunk phone call to council officers
- Perry Richardson
- Oct 5
- 2 min read
A private hire driver has had his licence revoked after Stockton-on-Tees councillors ruled he was no longer fit and proper to hold one, following several incidents linked to alcohol.
The General Licensing Committee met on 27 May 2025 to consider the case of the unnamed driver, who was first licensed in 2015. Concerns were raised after he phoned the council’s licensing team in February sounding heavily intoxicated. Officers reported that he was slurring his words and frequently changing topics during the call.
Checks confirmed he had not logged on to his operator’s system that day and was not working. During an interview, the driver admitted he had been at a party the night before and may have still been “a bit squiffy” when he called.
The committee heard this was not the first time such concerns had been raised. Written warnings were previously issued in November 2016 and again in September 2024 after similar incidents involving alcohol.
A medical assessment also raised questions about his drinking habits. He told his GP he consumed 14 units of alcohol a week, yet told officers he drank two ten-packs of lager over the same period. When contacted again in April, he sounded intoxicated and said he could drink whenever he wanted as he was “a fully grown man”. His licence was suspended immediately after that call.
At the hearing, councillors considered his explanation that he never drank and drove, and that previous incidents were one-offs. However, members said they were not reassured, highlighting his inconsistent statements and failure to attend a GP appointment to monitor high blood pressure.
Quoting case law that stresses the need for licensed drivers to be sober and safe, the committee ruled that it could not be confident of his fitness to drive. Members said holding a taxi licence was a privilege, not a right, and that public safety must come first.
They concluded that the pattern of behaviour and lack of awareness shown by the driver meant he was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence. His suspension was lifted and the licence revoked with immediate effect.
