UBER SEX CRIMES ‘COVER-UP’
Taxi firm has not been reporting attacks by its drivers, say police
UBER has not been reporting sex attacks by its drivers, police have said.
The controversial taxi firm was accused of putting passenger safety at risk by failing to inform police of ‘serious crimes’ in a formal letter from Scotland Yard.
The alleged offences include at least six sex attacks and an assault.
In one case, the firm was alerted to a sexual assault on a woman by a driver but took no action after he denied it. The driver was only blocked from working after he committed a more serious attack on a second woman.
Inspector Neil Billany, head of the Metropolitan Police’s taxi and private hire unit, said the second assault ‘would have been prevented’ if police had been informed of the first incident.
In a letter to Transport for London (TfL), Insp Billany told of his ‘significant concern’ that Uber was not telling police when it was made aware of complaints of crimes involving its drivers. He said this jeopardised public safety.
In the 12 months to February 2017, police recorded 48 allegations of sexual assault involving Uber drivers, reported only by passengers or via TfL.
The firm reported ‘lower-level document frauds’, Insp Billany wrote, but was slower to act on serious offences that might affect its reputation.
He said two separate public order offence allegations had been referred to police too late to be investigated and a road rage investigation was delayed.
Those accused of public order offences
‘Totally unacceptable’
can only be prosecuted within six months, leaving police powerless to act even if presented with clear evidence.
The letter was sent in April and was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Caroline Pidgeon, chairman of the London Assembly’s transport committee. She said: ‘This apparent cover-up of reports about such serious criminal activity is shameful.’
TfL said the failure to report crimes was ‘totally unacceptable’ and could affect Uber’s licence to operate in London, which it is currently reviewing.
In the letter Insp Billany said a woman had told Uber she was sexually assaulted by a driver in January 2016. Only when a second woman contacted the firm four months later to say she was sexually assaulted by the same driver was he barred from working. The firm then alerted TfL – but not the police.
Insp Billany said incidents were eventually referred to officers through TfL but that process could take up to seven months. He said both women had thought Uber would contact police on their behalf after they reported the driver, who has since been charged with two sexual assaults. Insp Billany wrote: ‘The significant concern I am raising is that Uber have been made aware of criminal activity and yet haven’t informed the police. By not reporting to police promptly they are allowing situations to develop that clearly affect the safety and security of the public.’
Uber said it believes the decision to report a crime to police lies with the victim. A spokesman said: ‘We understand that there could be all sorts of rea- sons why they may or may not wish to report the incident ... This is an incredibly complex issue and we always strive to get the right balance between supporting the police in their investigations, while preserving the rights of individuals.’ It said the safety of its drivers and pas- sengers is its top priority and it has a good relationship with police. It advises its customers to contact police with criminal allegations and said drivers accused of serious crimes would be blocked from working and reported to TfL.