More than 1,000 cabbies have been charged with violent and sexual attacks in just FIVE years across UK, Sun probe finds
Over 300 taxi drivers were charged with violent and sexual offences last year, including murder, child abduction and rape
SHOCKING new figures show more than a THOUSAND taxi drivers have been charged with sexual and violent crimes in the UK in just five years.
Data obtained by The Sun Online shows more than 300 cabbies were charged with violent and sexual offences last year alone, including murder, child abduction and rape.
The number is on the rise in both London and Avon and Somerset, with 126 drivers charged in the capital alone last year.
Offences committed have included rape, murder, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, child abduction, actual bodily harm and manslaughter.
London had the highest number of crime-committing cabbies, with nearly 2,000 charged with criminal offences in the past five years.
Of these, 521 were charged with violent and sexual crimes such as assault, rape and child sex offences.
Last year marked the highest number of sex and violent offenders the capital has seen in five years.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “"The MPS has a dedicated Cab Enforcement Unit, part of the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), which is responsible for enforcing the law relating to taxis and private hire vehicles in London.
"It works closely with the Safer Transport Teams and local borough police on joint operations to tackle touting and other cab related offences, with a specific focus on reducing sex offences in cabs through detection and deterrence activities."
Peter Blake, TfL’s Director of Operational Services, added: “Every driver in the taxi and private hire trades undergoes an enhanced criminal records check before they are granted a licence and the police are required to notify us whenever a taxi or private hire driver is charged with a criminal offence.
"Any driver who poses a risk to public safety will have their licence suspended immediately."
It comes just a week after Bedford taxi driver Naseer Taj was jailed for eight years and three months for preparing acts of terrorism.
Scots taxi perv Archibald Buchanan was also jailed for three years for sex attacks on two women, including a 12-year-old girl, in recent weeks.
The Sun last month revealed there were 32 Uber drivers accused of rape or sex attacks on customers in the capital last year.
Taxi attack victim Taleka White, 27, told of her horror after she was allegedly attacked and racially abused by an Uber driver after getting a car after a night out in Croydon, south London.
She had her face smashed into the ground and was sent flying by an enraged driver who called her a "stupid black c***".
Terrified Taleka says the driver became angry after confusion over where to drop the friend she was travelling with and says he verbally abused her as he drove her home.
After pulling up at her mum's house, the driver dragged Taleka out of the car and punched her in the face.
He punched her again as she screamed to get her mum's attention before running to his car and driving off.
A spokesman for Uber said: “Drivers who use Uber have undergone the same enhanced criminal record checks as black-cab drivers, teachers and care workers.”
Figures were comparatively low in other areas of the UK , with South Yorkshire reporting just 11 violent and sexual crimes by taxi drivers last year.
There were a total of 82 crimes of this nature carried out by licensed taxi drivers over the past five years.
There have been 87 sexual and violent crimes by taxi drivers in Leicester since 2011.
Uber was set up in the city last November, but there were no reports of Uber drivers committing offences in the last two months of 2015.
A high proportion of the taxi drivers accused of committing crimes in Manchester were charged with crimes such as rape, sexual assault and GBH.
Of the 460 drivers charged with crimes over the past half-decade, 330 have been for violent and sexual crimes.
Last year there were 77 drivers charged with crimes in the city, 61 of whom were charged with these crimes.
Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the LTDA, said: “Time and again we are seeing allegations of inappropriate behaviour and sexual assault from minicab drivers. This has to stop. We have long been campaigning for these statistics to differentiate between taxis and PHVs, as cabbies cannot be held accountable for the criminal actions of others. Passenger safety is paramount, which is why we are calling for minicab drivers to undergo the same rigorous background checks as cabbies, in order to keep Londoners safe.”
The West Midlands also had high crime rates, with 51 drivers charged with sexual offences in the past five years and 236 charged with violent crimes.
Figures from Leicester, Northumbria, South Yorkshire and Avon and Somerset were also handed to The Sun, which showed a dangerous number of offending drivers.
These include hackney cab drivers, private hire and minicab drivers.
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “Bristol City Council has a stringent licence application process for taxi drivers operating in the city. The council’s Fit and Proper Person Policy outlines the requirements needed for drivers to hold a licence.
“All new drivers are currently required to complete an enhanced DBS check, alongside Gold Standard training, DVLA licence check, medical check, DVLA driving test and completion of the knowledge test. Only if these standards are met will a driver be granted a licence.
“Appropriate and timely action is taken against those persons found not to be fit and proper persons.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Public safety is our first priority. That is why we expect local authorities to follow the rules and carry out the necessary checks when deciding who can hold a taxi or private hire driver’s licence."
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