A Plymouth private hire driver has been banned from driving and hit with a fine after being found guilty of operating without valid insurance.
Grzegorz Sliwka was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of £500.
The 39-year-old was found guilty at Plymouth Magistrates' Court of two charges of driving without insurance over two periods, 17 July to 23 August and 30 August to 17 September last year.
In total he made 581 journeys carrying fare paying passengers during periods when he did not have any vehicle insurance for his private hire vehicle.
The case was brought following an investigation by the Council’s taxi licensing team who were awarded £1,000 towards their costs for the case.
Sliwka was ordered to pay a £32 victim charge as well as the £500 fine.
The Council will now review the status of his private hire driver licence at the next Taxi Licensing Committee hearing.
Councillor Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Customer Focus and Community Safety said: “Most of us would be really worried if we realised we were travelling in a car which was not insured, so it’s doubling shocking to learn that this was a professional licensed driver who failed to have his vehicle insured.
“Our taxi licensing team exist to ensure that all passengers who use taxi or private hire vehicles can do so knowing that they are safe and that they are abiding by laws which are there to protect us. We can and do investigate issues.”
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