Taxi boss admits fraud (From Redditch Advertiser)

Taxi boss admits fraud

3:17pm Thursday 3rd May 2007 in News

A TAXI service in Redditch was being operated by four drivers who were not properly insured, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Abdul Khan, a principal in Abbey Taxis, had lied that all the drivers were over the age of 25 and had given false dates of birth, said Stefan Kolodynski, prosecuting.

He had saved about £2,000 by taking out insurance with a company which did not insure any driver under the age of 25. The deception was revealed when Redditch Council officials did a spot check.

Khan, now 25, of Other Road in the town centre, pleaded guilty to obtaining services by deception. He was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered to do 180 hours unpaid community work.

He was also disqualified from driving for three months and ordered to pay £964.40 court costs.

Abbey Taxis was a family business which had since been sold, said Abigail Nixon, defending. Khan, a man of previous good character.

He had perpetrated "a stupid, money-saving deceit," she added. He was aware there had been potential serious consequences to the public through lack of insurance.

He was not the brains behind the idea and was now working as a mechanic, the court was told.

Judge Alistair McCreath described the offence as "premeditated greed" which had put the public at risk through invalid insurance.