Middlesbrough Licensing Committee REJECTS private hire licence following drug driving conviction
- Perry Richardson
- May 12
- 2 min read
A private hire driver licence application has been refused by Middlesbrough Council’s Licensing Committee after it was determined the applicant was not a fit and proper person to be granted the licence.
The application, referenced 14/25, came before the Committee on 28 April 2025. The applicant, who previously held a Combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licence from October 2018 to March 2023, had that licence revoked following drug driving allegations.
Cleveland Police reported that the applicant had been arrested on 8 and 10 February 2023 on suspicion of drug driving. The first incident involved a roadside drug test which returned a positive result, and drug paraphernalia was also found in the applicant’s vehicle. A blood test showed the presence of THC above the legal limit. This resulted in a conviction on 15 August 2023, with a 12-month driving disqualification, a £192 fine, and additional legal penalties.
Although no further action was taken in relation to the second incident on 10 February 2023, the Council’s Policy required a seven-year period free of any drug-driving related convictions before a licence application could be considered. The applicant’s driving ban ended on 15 August 2024, meaning the relevant conviction-free period would not expire until August 2031.
During the hearing, the applicant acknowledged the report’s accuracy and claimed that the THC was ingested unknowingly through a friend’s vape. He also stated that the drug paraphernalia found in the vehicle belonged to a friend. The Committee, however, found the applicant’s explanations lacked credibility and that he failed to take full responsibility for the events.
The Committee considered the application in line with the Council’s Licensing Policy and concluded that the applicant did not meet the requirements. There were no exceptional circumstances to justify a departure from the Policy.
The decision means the applicant will not be eligible to reapply for a licence until at least 2031. He retains the right to appeal the decision at the Teesside Magistrates’ Court within 21 days.
