MAKING inappropriate comments and making sexual advances towards women has led to a West Somerset taxi driver having his licence revoked.

West Somerset Council conducted an investigation into reports of inappropriate behaviour by the man.

Licensing officers from West Somerset Council heard from four separate witnesses how the man:

•    Stored the phone numbers of women he met during the course of his duties, in his personal mobile phone and sent flirtatious but on occasions, explicit text messages;
•    Made inappropriate comments towards women about their appearance;
•    Would hug, kiss and touch women he carried in his taxi, making them feel uncomfortable;
•    Made sexual advances.

Officers reached a verdict on the balance of probabilities and were satisfied the man was no longer ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence. 

Although he had voluntarily surrendered his licence during the course of the investigation, his licence was revoked immediately following the verdict being reached and will not be able to return to work.

Cllr Keith Turner, Lead member for housing, health and well-being, said: “The public has the right to feel safe when travelling in a licensed taxi. This man’s passengers must have felt scared, to say the least, by his behaviour.

“I hope people feel reassured that we will take swift and decisive action when incidents are reported to us. We simply will not tolerate such behaviour.”