Wolverhampton-licensed private hire driver convicted after uninsured vehicle stop on M5
- Perry Richardson
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
A private hire driver licensed by Wolverhampton City Council has received six penalty points and £760 in fines and costs after being convicted of driving without insurance following a traffic stop by Avon and Somerset Police.
A Wolverhampton-licensed private hire vehicle driver has been convicted of driving without insurance after being stopped by officers on the M5 near Bristol.
The case stemmed from a roadside stop carried out in June 2025 by PC Patrick Quinton, known within the taxi and private hire trade as the Taxi Cop for Avon and Somerset Police. During the stop, officers found that although the driver was licensed to operate a private hire vehicle, they did not hold valid insurance to drive the vehicle being used.
After issuing a traffic offence report at the roadside, the driver chose to have the matter heard before the courts rather than accept the offence.
The case was heard at Bath Magistrates’ Court on 23 July 2026, where the driver was convicted. The court imposed six DVLA penalty points and ordered the driver to pay a total of £760 in fines and court costs.
Commenting on the outcome, PC Patrick Quinton said: “In June 2025 I stopped a Wolverhampton plated PHV on the M5 near Bristol to find the licensed driver did not have insurance to drive it. I issued a ticket, but the driver wanted the matter to be heard by a Court. On the 23/7/26 at Bath Magistrates, the driver was given 6 DVLA points and £760 of fines/costs.”
The case serves as a reminder that taxi and private hire drivers are responsible for ensuring they have the correct insurance cover before taking to the road.
Driving without valid insurance is one of the most serious road traffic offences affecting professional drivers. In addition to penalty points and financial penalties, convictions can also have implications for a driver’s continued suitability to hold a taxi or private hire driver’s licence, with licensing authorities able to review a driver’s fitness to remain licensed.
