Unlicensed cabbie evades drive ban

A MAN who drove a minibus cab without a licence or insurance escaped a driving ban because he needed to drive for a new job as a baker.

Jhangir Akhtar (37), of Barlow Street, Glodwick, pleaded guilty to two charges of using a motor vehicle with no insurance and driving a private-hire vehicle without a cab-driver’s licence at Oldham magistrates court yesterday.

He was seen by police driving a Ford mini-bus at speed in January and was traced to Skyline taxis in Oldham Road, Failsworth. Without a private-hire licence he was not insured.

Akhtar already had six penalty points on his driving licence.

Representing himself, he told the court disqualification would mean not being able to work.

“I’ve just started working in bakeries and get shift work in Bolton and Oldham. I need the car to get to Bolton for 6am.”

Magistrates accepted his hardship case and fined him £220, with six penalty points for the insurance offence. He was fined £37.50 and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £22 surcharge for having no cab licence