Bogus ex-taxi driver exposed after ANPR images contradicted claim forged licence plates had been destroyed
- Perry Richardson
- 47 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A former taxi driver from Kennington near Oxford has been convicted of fraud and insurance offences after Vale of White Horse District Council prosecuted him for using forged documents to continue operating as a licensed driver.
Stuart Thomas Sharp was sentenced at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 24 April after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to five charges.
Sharp received a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. His DVLA licence was endorsed with eight penalty points for driving without insurance, and he was ordered to pay £900 towards the council’s costs and a £156 victim surcharge.
The court heard the council was contacted in May 2025 by a member of the public who reported seeing a man involved in an earlier altercation later working as a “taxi driver” at Radley College. The informant provided the vehicle registration number and licence plate number.
A former Oxfordshire taxi driver has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting he forged licensing documents to continue working without valid authorisation.
Council checks found the vehicle had not been licensed since August 2023. Sharp, the registered keeper and sole insured driver, had not held a taxi driver licence since January 2023.
Despite this, the court heard he continued picking up passengers and accepting bookings. He forged documents including a taxi licence, badge and vehicle plate, and presented them to a taxi operator as proof he was licensed.
When asked to return the documents to the council, Sharp claimed he had thrown them away. ANPR images later showed the vehicle displaying the documents, contradicting that claim.
Magistrates described the offending as serious, involving planned deceit over a long period, and placed the case in the highest sentencing category. Sharp must also comply with a rehabilitation activity requirement.
Councillor Helen Pighills, Cabinet Member for Community Health and Wellbeing at Vale of White Horse, said: “This case shows a clear attempt to undermine public safety, the licensing regime and bypass important safety checks. Forging taxi licence documents is a serious offence, particularly in a role where passengers must be able to place their trust in licensed drivers.
“Our priority is keeping people safe, and we will take action against anyone who operates unlawfully or tries to deceive the system.”
