Unlicensed Reading private hire operator caught in airport transfer Facebook sting
- Perry Richardson
- Aug 15
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 17
An unlicensed private hire operator has been ordered to pay £1,418 after being caught running an illegal airport transfer service in Reading.
In September 2024, Reading Borough Council licensing officers were alerted to Facebook posts advertising “easy airport transfers from Reading” by an account in the name of Samuel Szymczyk. The adverts, shared across several local Facebook groups, offered chauffeur-driven trips to all major London airports.
Checks confirmed that Szymczyk did not hold a council-issued private hire operator licence. An officer, posing as a customer, booked a journey from the Penta Hotel in Reading to Gatwick Airport for 14 January 2025 at an agreed fare of £75.
On the day, the driver sent by Szymczyk did not hold a private hire driver’s licence. The vehicle used was unlicensed for private hire and uninsured for that type of work.
At Reading Magistrates’ Court on 8 August 2025, Szymczyk pleaded guilty to operating a private hire vehicle without an operator’s licence and causing the use of an uninsured motor vehicle.
Magistrates fined him £400 for operating without a licence and £120 for causing a vehicle to be driven without insurance. He was also given six penalty points on his driving licence.
In addition, Szymczyk was ordered to pay a £208 victim surcharge and £690 towards prosecution costs, bringing the total to £1,418.
The offences were in breach of Section 46(1)(e) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and Section 143(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
Cllr John Ennis, Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said: “This result secured by our Licensing service sends a clear message: the serious risks posed by unlicensed transport services and the deliberate deception used to promote them will not be tolerated in Reading.
"Unscrupulous traders are taking advantage of the busy summer travel season, when more people are trying to get to the airport cheaply. However, if you inadvertently choose an unlicensed driver, there is no way of knowing their driving record, whether they are insured, and, if something were to go wrong, your holiday could be ruined before it's even started.
"Unlicensed drivers are also able to undercut legitimate businesses, which work hard and within the rules, which are there to give residents peace of mind that their driver has been vetted and they have all the correct insurance and documents.
“The promotion of an unlicensed and therefore uninsured service online, such as this, misleads the public and puts passengers at serious risk. We’re committed to ensuring that all private hire operators in Reading meet the legal standards designed to protect customers, and we will continue to take firm action against those who choose to disregard the rules.”
