Scores of taxi drivers have been able to obtain licenses despite having convictions for violent offences, a charity has found.
Data obtained following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveals drivers with convictions, including for violent crimes like assault, battery and harassment, have still been given licences even though licensing authorities are aware of the offences they committed.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a leading anti-stalking and harassment charity which unearthed the figures, warned women are being placed at risk when sharing cars with drivers who have a history of violence as they urged ministers to overhaul the law.
Researchers, who received responses from 28 local authorities, estimated 90 licences were given to drivers with convictions for violent offences, while an extra 68 were granted to drivers who have a range of traffic, driving or vehicle related convictions such as drink driving and reckless driving.
The mother and brother of Sian O’Callaghan – who was killed by Christopher Halliwell after getting into his taxi when leaving a nightclub in Swindon in 2011 – told The Independent about their “devastating” loss.
Halliwell is serving a whole life term for the murders of 22-year-old Ms O’Callaghan in March 2011 and 20-year-old sex worker Becky Godden in January 2003.
It’s always challenging. The thing is you never fully get over what’s happened and the sense of loss.
Liam O’Callaghan
Research by YouGov and Suzy Lamplugh Trust found three in ten of more than 4,200 adults they polled feel unsafe when using taxis – with seven in ten saying they would feel less at risk if the law was changed so drivers with a history of aggressive or abusive behaviour cannot get a licence.
Elaine Pickford, the mother of Ms O’Callaghan, recalled the “devastating” moment they were told her daughter’s body had been found.
“13 years on, the more time that passes for me personally, the more time I’m aware that she hasn’t lived and where she would be now if she had of – what life she would have had,” she added.
Recalling the period when her daughter was missing, she said: “Most of us weren’t sleeping or grabbing sleep for very short times here and there. And it was such a fast pace.”
“You’re just running on whatever you can run on, really, and it’s hard to put into words what that is, because for everybody it’s a bit different I suppose. You’re thrown into complete and utter chaos and just getting through every minute the best you can.”
Sian’s brother Liam O’Callaghan said: “It’s always challenging. The thing is you never fully get over what’s happened and the sense of loss. But you just build around it”.
Ms Pickford and Mr O’Callaghan were involved in campaigning for the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles Act 2022 that led to improved sharing of data between local authorities on drivers.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust called for the government to urgently roll out legislation that establishes national minimum standards for licences for drivers as well as regulating drivers like professions such as teaching so background checks are more stringent.
Researchers warned it is tricky to properly grasp the scale of the problem due to licencing authorities not telling them how many of their currently licenced drivers hold convictions and for which offences.
“You are getting in a vehicle with a stranger, not knowing anything about their previous history,” Saskia Garner, of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, told The Independent. “And they can lock you in, and they can take you wherever they want.”
Discussing the murder of Ms O’Callaghan, she added: “Sian got into that vehicle doing the thing that every woman is told to do, which is ‘Get a taxi home, don’t walk down a dark road’.”
She said current rules mean individual authorities can make up their own mind about what constitutes a safe driver.
“Given that the drivers can go to anywhere in the country, obtain a license, and then go and operate somewhere completely different, you can’t be sure that any driver has been vetted appropriately,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
“If the checks are the same on every single driver then people will be reassured that the highest standards are being applied whichever driver they go with.”
You are getting in a vehicle with a stranger, not knowing anything about their previous history. And they can lock you in, and they can take you wherever they want.
Saskia Garner
Jim Button, president of the Institute of Licensing, said “There is no doubt that the standards applied by licensing authorities in relation to determining whether a person is safe and suitable to be a taxi driver vary hugely across England and Wales.
“The Institute of Licensing supports calls for legislation in this area. In the meantime, it encourages all licensing authorities to adopt the guidelines published by the Institute of Licensing.
“It is vital that applicants’ and licensees’ history of concerning behaviour is taken into account by licensing authorities: they should have a clear policy detailing which crimes and behaviours will result in licence refusal or revocation, and that should be adhered to.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said “keeping passengers safe is the top priority”, adding that drivers in England already have to undergo the “highest-level background checks”.
The representative added: “Before deciding to issue a licence, authorities must consult a national database which logs if someone has had a licence refused, suspended, or revoked. We are also currently considering further options to improve safety around taxi licensing.”
