Stockton taxi driver cleared to return to work after suspension lifted following golf club and youth incident
- Perry Richardson
- Mar 29
- 2 min read
A taxi driver suspended following a confrontation with youths in Thornaby town centre has had his licence reinstated after councillors ruled he remains a fit and proper person to operate.
Stockton Borough Council’s General Licensing Committee reviewed the case, which centred on a combined hackney carriage and private hire driver involved in an incident captured on CCTV.
The driver had initially been suspended after footage showed him physically restraining a young person and later retrieving a shortened golf club from his vehicle during a series of escalating exchanges with a group of youths.
Committee members were presented with multiple pieces of evidence, including CCTV footage, officer reports and witness information. The footage showed the driver’s vehicle being struck by a golf club thrown by youths, causing damage. Around 50 minutes later, the driver approached individuals he believed responsible and held one by the arm for over a minute.
Licensing committee reinstates licence with warning after reviewing CCTV and evidence from anti-social behaviour incident
Further footage showed continued disorder, including objects and a shopping trolley being pushed towards the driver. The driver was also seen retrieving the golf club from his vehicle boot and walking back towards the group before briefly entering a nearby supermarket while still holding the item.
The driver, who has held a licence for over 20 years and has no criminal convictions, accepted his actions were not his “greatest moment” and expressed regret. His representative told the committee the driver believed assistance was nearby and had acted in the context of ongoing anti-social behaviour issues around the taxi rank.
Evidence presented to the committee also highlighted that the driver had previously reported incidents in the area to enforcement teams and had been subject to repeated disturbances, including earlier attacks on his vehicle.
After reviewing all submissions, councillors concluded the driver’s actions, while concerning, did not meet the threshold to revoke his licence. The committee agreed to lift the suspension and reinstate the licence, issuing a strong warning regarding future conduct.
Members made clear that any further incidents could result in the driver being brought back before the committee, where revocation would be a likely outcome.
