Driver plying for hire fined

A PRIVATE-HIRE driver caught plying for hire claimed he had only been trying to help someone who was ill.

After being flagged down in the road, Zafar Iqbal (58), of Morris Street, Glodwick, picked up an undercover police officer in Shaw Road, Oldham, and took him to the Cricketers Arms pub in Shaw on August 20 last year.

Alan Evans, for Oldham Council, told Oldham magistrates yesterday that hackney carriages can be flagged down but private-hire vehicles have to be pre-booked or they aren’t insured.

He said hackney carriage drivers constantly complain about private-hire drivers operating illegally and the case was part of a council and police undercover operation that evening.

Mr Iqbal admitted plying for hire and using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance. But he insisted he wasn’t picking up a fare but thought he was helping an ill person and had been “framed”.

Speaking through an interpreter he claimed he only put the meter on out of habit and declined the customer’s money — though the officer said he told him to go into the pub to change his £10 note as he had no change.

Mr Iqbal said he had no intention of doing anything wrong.

But the prosecution disputed his version of events and Mr Iqbal was told he should have called an ambulance or phoned his office — Crompton and Royton Cars — to take the booking if someone was genuinely ill.

A licensing officer said in interview Mr Iqbal claimed the fare had been pre-booked under the name of Martin.

Mr Iqbal was fined £160 and ordered to pay £100 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.