Revoked private hire driver caught working illegally after fleeing crash and leaving badge beside cocaine
- Perry Richardson
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
A former private hire driver has been convicted after continuing to operate despite having his private hire driver’s licence revoked months earlier, with the case exposing how retained licensing badges enabled him to keep working illegally.
The case stemmed from an incident in November 2025 when Avon and Somerset Police attended the scene of a crashed private hire vehicle in Weston-super-Mare. The driver had left the scene before officers arrived, leaving behind his private hire driver’s badge, together with cocaine and nitrous oxide canisters.
Police enquiries led officers to the driver’s address where he was arrested shortly afterwards. Further investigations established that South Gloucestershire Council had revoked the man’s private hire driver’s licence in May 2025. Despite the revocation, he had failed to return his badges and subsequently hired a licensed vehicle from an unsuspecting vehicle owner before continuing to work.
Appearing at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court on 30 June 2026, the former driver was found guilty of possessing cocaine, using a vehicle without insurance, driving a private hire vehicle without a licence and failing to return his private hire badges. He was sentenced to six DVLA penalty points and ordered to pay £1,065 in fines and court costs.
While prosecutions for failing to do so are relatively uncommon, the offence can become significant where retained badges are subsequently used to facilitate unlawful private hire work.
PC Patrick Quinton of Avon and Somerset Police said: “In November 2025 police attended a crashed private hire vehicle in Weston-super-Mare. The driver left the scene, leaving his private hire driver badge behind along with some cocaine and nitrous oxide canisters. He was arrested shortly afterwards at his address.
“I found that the driver had been revoked in May 2025 by South Gloucestershire Council but had kept his badges and hired the vehicle from an unsuspecting vehicle owner.
“As a result, on 30 June 2026 at North Somerset Magistrates’ Court, the person was found guilty of possessing cocaine, using a vehicle without insurance, driving a private hire vehicle without a licence and failing to return private hire badges. He was sentenced to six DVLA penalty points and £1,065 in fines and costs.
“It’s unusual for someone to be charged with failing to return badges but it was very appropriate in this case.”
