LONDON TAXI DRIVER’S LEGAL ORDEAL: Police record incident charge on DBS despite case being dropped causing licensing issues
- Perry Richardson
- May 10
- 2 min read
Updated: May 12
A London taxi driver faced an unexpected legal ordeal after being involved in a road traffic incident last year, which ultimately led to a dropped case but left a damaging record on his file.
According to Steve McNamara, General Secretary of Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), the incident occurred when the driver was heading out of London and made a left turn into a side road. A group was stood on the pavement chatting when one individual unexpectedly entered the road and was struck by the rear wing of the cab, suffering a significant injury. Emergency services quickly arrived, and the driver was breathalysed and drug tested before being arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The driver cooperated fully with the police, including submitting to a vehicle examination and interview. Evidence indicated that he had been travelling slowly and carefully, with the injured party potentially walking into the side of the cab. The vehicle was later forensically examined, supporting the driver’s account.
After a legal process involving pre-trial disclosure and case review, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) acknowledged weaknesses in the evidence. Following input from the judge at a pre-trial hearing and discussions between legal teams, the CPS withdrew the charge. The driver was cleared and described feeling a weight lifted after the ordeal.
However, the matter did not end there. Weeks later, the driver received a letter confirming that the withdrawn charge would still appear on his enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) record. This means that Transport for London (TfL) or other bodies viewing the record would still see the allegation, despite no conviction or court hearing.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), which supported the member throughout the case, is now preparing to challenge the police’s decision to mark the charge on his record. The LTDA has confirmed it will explore legal routes, including potentially taking the matter to the High Court.
This case highlights the lasting impact of police charges on professional drivers, even when no wrongdoing is proven.
McNamara said in TAXI Newspaper: “Imagine our member’s surprise when a few weeks later he received a letter from the police informing him that even though the case had been withdrawn, the charge was to be recorded on his enhanced DBS and that future checks by TfL, or anyone else, would reveal the incident and allegation!
“Needless to say, he is once again on the legal floor of Taxi House as we represent him, review our options, and challenge this outrageous decision, if necessary, all the way to judicially reviewing the decision in the High Court.“
