Issue - meetings

           1.      Licence holder 02/2018 attended the meeting and was represented by Mr Khan, Solicitor.

       The Chair outlined the procedure to be followed and the Licensing Unit   Manager presented a report submitted by the Assistant Director (Legal and Democratic Services), which explained that a complaint had been received regarding the client’s conduct by a young Asian female on 14 May 2018.

        The report stated that on 10 May at 5.45 pm the complainant had booked a taxi to take her Bury, to her home in Rochdale and when the taxi arrived, driven by the Licence Holder, she sat in the back seat.

        During the course of the journey, it is alleged that the Licence Holder asked personal questions about the girl and her family and on arrival at their destination, although no fare was payable as it had been pre-paid using the App, he turned to face her and told her that in future if she wanted a lift she could ring his private number.  The complainant stated that she felt scared and gave the driver her number and he rang her phone so she then had his number.

        The complainant had an injury to her knee and was limping and the Licence Holder asked to look at her knee and the swelling and then touched her knee and moved his hand up to her thigh and asked if her pants were tight and if they came down.  The complainant left the vehicle and immediately blocked the Licence Holder’s mobile number and told her Uncle, who is a taxi driver, of her experience and he told her to report it to Licensing and she also reported it to the Police and made a statement.  However, she did not want any further involvement as she was afraid of reprisal. 

        The crime write up from the Police was included with the report for information and Mr Khan provided the Licence Holder’s witness statement and character references, which were circulated to Panel members prior to the meeting.

        Mr Khan addressed the Panel on behalf of the Licence Holder and explained that on the whole the report was accepted, however, the Licence Holder denied asking if the complainant’s leggings came down and in relation to the impression given by the Licence Holder’s interview with the Licensing Officer, that the Licence Holder did not consider his behaviour to be inappropriate, Mr Khan stated that he did realise his mistake as there should not be any physical contact, however, as no interpreter was present at the interview, he felt that his statement has been misinterpreted by the interviewer.

        Mr Khan stated that no criminal proceedings have been taken against the Licence Holder and that the complainant did not perceive the incident to be of a sexual nature and that his touching her knee was intended to be more of a medical examination.  The Licence Holder explained that he had been an amateur wrestler in his childhood and was aware of sports injuries and          he was trying to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 116