Taxi Cop dealing with drink driving, sexual assault investigation and illegal plying-for-hire cases after return to work
- Perry Richardson
- 14 hours ago
- 2 min read
The ‘Taxi Cop’ for Avon and Somerset Police has revealed the scale of enforcement work facing him after returning from annual leave, highlighting a series of serious incidents involving licensed drivers and illegal taxi activity.
In an update to drivers, PC Patrick Quinton said he returned to “nearly 200 emails and messages” and identified several cases that required his immediate attention before he could respond to routine enquiries from the trade.
Among the most serious was a private hire driver (PHD) who was allegedly seen using a mobile phone before being arrested for drink driving.
PC Quinton said the driver was more than three times the legal alcohol limit and had since been charged. Another case involves a private hire driver accused of seriously sexually assaulting a customer. The individual has been arrested and released on bail while investigations continue.
The officer is also dealing with reports of an unlicensed vehicle allegedly picking up pre-booked customers in Bath, helping to identify a taxi driver believed to be a witness in a serious offence, and investigating an incident in which a taxi driver was reportedly threatened with a weapon after challenging a private hire driver he believed was illegally plying for hire.
Other work includes assisting with a prosecution involving a taxi driver who allegedly allowed his unlicensed wife to drive his licensed taxi, alongside follow-up enquiries after a private hire driver was involved in a collision with a pedestrian in central Bristol.
PC Quinton said the urgent investigations had delayed his ability to respond to drivers seeking advice and assistance. He thanked the trade for their patience, adding: “Unfortunately, it means that a lot of work, including replying to your messages and giving help and support to drivers has had to be delayed whilst I deal with these urgent jobs, so thank you for your patience.”
