Source: Leamington Observer
Police have been accused of ignorance and laziness for failing to take seriously the concerns of Leamington taxi drivers about a man who went on to rape a 17-year-old boy.
Whitnash resident Huseyin Cakmak, 48, of Moorhill Road, was found guilty of falsely imprisoning and raping the teenager in a company car park on the Heathcote Industrial Estate after offering him a lift home in the early hours of the morning last November.
But Dil Ramzan, who contacted the Observer on behalf of a group of fellow Hackney carriage drivers in Leamington, said that at the time they had warned police and the council on numerous occasions about the delivery driver illegally plying for hire as a taxi.
Mr Ramzan added: “We would watch him floating around the town trying to pick up drunk and vulnerable people.
“We telephoned the police alerting them to the potential danger and they bounced us back to the district council licensing team, which in turn then directed us to the police.
“It certainly angers any parent to think that dangerous individuals are still at large even after being reported to the authorities.
“As a result we have a young individual whose life is devastated.”
Cakmak, who had denied the charges, was found guilty by a jury at Warwick Crown Court and remanded in custody to be sentenced at a later date.
A spokesman for Warwick District Council said that because the vehicle was not a licensed taxi the enforcement powers would be with police.
A Warwickshire Police spokesperson said: “All information provided to the police by members of the public is considered by our trained Communications Centre staff and the appropriate action taken.
“If this was simply a report of an unlicensed “taxi” then we would normally direct the caller to the relevant licensing authority, such as Warwick District Council.
“If however there was specific information to suggest concerns regarding public safety and risk to our communities then we would risk assess the call and respond accordingly.
“If the taxi drivers feel that the information they provided was not dealt with appropriately they should contact the Communications Centre chief inspector with the dates and times when the calls were made in order that a review can be undertaken.”
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
it seems that somebodys life has been ruined due to the ignorance of licenccing and the police of just who is soley responsible for ‘NON’ Taxis.
I’ve experienced this myself, and now when i see NON taxis, i’m at a loss as to who to report it to! so i just try and get a reg and hoy it up here, and hope that someone in either establishment cares enough to take a bit of responsibility and chase it up.
perhaps its time that the police and licencing sit down together accross the country and clarify a few things, like ‘non’ taxis, what the local hacks look like, who should be parked on a rank etc etc, then clarify who is responsible for what, then pass the information onto ALL those below them.
hang on we’ve had this promise before havnt we July 2008?!
better idea, why dont BOTH accept some level of responsibility, after all the police are here to protect and serve, and licencing have a duty to keep the public safe and deliver a service for taxi fees!
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