Convicted criminals applied for taxi licences
SOME of the people who have tried to become taxi drivers across the South Wales valleys have thousands of criminal convictions between them, figures have revealed.
People with convictions including theft, arson and even “causing death by reckless driving” have tried to get licences – although there is nothing to suggest any of them were actually successful in doing so.
The figures were revealed after a Freedom of Information request by the firm Complete Background Screening.
Councils have strict criteria which have to be met before anyone, particularly those with convictions, is allowed to drive a taxi.
The statistics – for the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 financial years – show that across Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT), Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly county a total of 6,139 convictions were included on hackney car- riage and private hire licence applications. There were 2,279 in Merthyr Tydfil, 1,576 in RCT, 1,214 in Bridgend and 1,070 in Caerphilly, which includes the Rhymney Valley.
Across the four areas, the applications included 396 theft convictions, 168 for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and 33 for battery. There were also 533 convictions for having no insurance – and 18 for dangerous driving.
Three RCT applications even included arson convictions, while one wan- nabe Caerphilly taxi driver was convicted of “causing death by reckless driving”.
A Bridgend applicant had a kidnapping conviction.
Rachel Bedgood, Complete Background Screening’s CEO, said: “Without DBS checks [formerly known as CRB checks], it is impossible to know the full background of people we employ in industries including those serving the public and the reality could be quite dangerous if we do not continue to screen correctly.”
Councils say they have robust systems to keep passengers safe.
An RCT council spokeswoman pointed out that the figures relate to the number of DBS checks carried out on those who have applied to be taxi drivers – not those who actually became drivers.
She said licensing officers and committee follow a strict policy, which is similar to that adopted by authorities across Wales and which “provides clear guidance on when an application can be automati- cally refused due to the nature of an offender’s previous convictions”.
And the spokeswoman added that all drivers have to have their licences renewed periodically.
A Merthyr council spokeswoman said authorities were given guidance on the suitability of applicants based on the nature of the offence, time since the offence and any mitigating factors.
She added: “We are confident that licensed drivers in Merthyr Tydfil have been suitably vetted.”
Caerphilly council said it had to be satisfied the applicant is “fit and proper” to hold a licence.
A spokesman said: “This is a rigorous process, aimed at protecting the safety of the public and to ensure the public can have confidence in the use of licensed taxi services.”
A Bridgend council spokesman said its assessment process “takes into account the type of the conviction, what sanction was imposed and when the offence was committed.”