A hairy taxi driver who used a fake licence of a man with a bald head and claimed that he had undergone a transplant using horse hair was sentenced this month at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
Mohammad Abid Ali, 32, from Cheetham Hill, operated a hackney carriage without a licence or insurance and was ordered to pay more than £900 and received eight penalty points on Wednesday November 6.
He was stopped on Saturday May 25 on Oxford Road and when questioned gave a false name and produced a fake licence that did not look like him.
Ali, who had a full head of hair, claimed the picture of an older gentleman with a bald head was his and said that he used hair regrowth products and underwent a transplant using horse hair.
Checks found that Ali had held a Hackney carriage licence but had been refused a new application on April 26 2012.
Councillor Kate Chappell, Manchester City Council executive member for environment, said: “This case should serve as a warning to all unlicensed taxi drivers, our officers are out on the streets and are incredibly vigilant. The consequences for illegally operating any taxi are both serious and costly.
“An unlicensed taxi driver is by definition uninsured and I’d advise everyone using a taxi to check the driver is wearing a council ID badge.”
Ali was fined £50 for being an unlicensed hackney carriage driver, £80 for driving without insurance and £165 for taking the vehicle without consent.
Ali was then ordered to pay £589 in costs and a victim surcharge of £20.
Councillor Chappell added: “Over Christmas and new year even more people than normal will be enjoying the city centre.
“While I don’t want to put a dampener on festivities I’d recommend everyone plan ahead, think about how they will get home after celebrating and at the weekends take advantage of our marshalled taxi ranks.”
Picture courtesy of HumanSeeHumanDo via Flickr, with thanks.
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