GREEN LIGHT: Manchester City Council grants private hire licence despite recent public order conviction
- Perry Richardson
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
A licensing panel at Manchester City Council has approved a new private hire driver licence for an applicant with a recent public order conviction, concluding the individual remains a fit and proper person to hold a licence.
The decision followed a hearing of the council’s Licensing and Appeals Sub Committee on 19 January 2026, where members considered an application from an individual. The case was heard in private due to the sensitive nature of the information discussed.
According to the Licensing Unit Officer, the driver had been convicted of using “threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provocation of violence”. The offence resulted in an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for six months. Although the incident occurred in 2018, the conviction was not secured until 2023, meaning it remained within the council’s licensing guidelines.
The licensee told the panel the incident took place during a protest that had initially been peaceful but escalated when others became violent. They said they “felt the need to protect themselves” and stressed they had no other convictions, describing themselves as of good character and noting voluntary work with a charity.
Licensing panel cites mitigation and isolated incident in decision to approve applicant
The panel also heard that the original charge of violent disorder had been reduced to a lesser public order offence, to which the driver pleaded guilty with legal advice. A character reference from a charity was submitted in support of the application.
In reaching its decision, the panel considered the council’s policy framework and statutory taxi and private hire vehicle standards. Members acknowledged the seriousness of the offence and that it remained within guideline thresholds, but noted the incident occurred seven years ago and accepted it as an isolated matter.
The panel concluded that sufficient mitigation existed to depart from standard policy and granted the licence, attaching a formal warning.
