An East Cambridgeshire taxi driver has had his licence to drive a taxi revoked on appeal after four incidents, which included narrowly missing a pedestrian and her dog.

Jerzy Masjanis was first brought to the attention of East Cambridgeshire District Council in June 2021 after several of his passengers made complaints about him. 

He told the council he would "change his behaviour and make better decisions in the future", but this wasn't the case.

On November 26, 2021, Masjanis nearly reversed into a woman and her dog when he made the manoeuvre on King's Avenue into Allen Road in Ely. The woman said that if she hadn't have shouted and waved at him, Masjanis would have ran her over.

A year later in November 2022, Masjanis failed to assist a disabled passenger into his vehicle. The man was using crutches and had a large bouquet of flowers, and he was forced to lean out of the vehicle to try and shut the passenger door.

In December 2023, Masjanis failed to assist an elderly man who had to load his own suitcase into the boot of Masjanis’ dirty car. When the man got inside the car he said it was "filthy" and "stank of garlic".

The same month Mr Masjanis also displayed unprofessional rude behaviour towards council employees in the council offices when collecting new vehicle licensing documents.

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After listening to Mr Masjanis and others, councillors decided to revoke his licence, finding that the incidents detailed in the licensing officer’s report “demonstrated a history of non-compliance and a failure to amend behaviour despite being given repeated opportunities to do so”, and that there was “likely to be a significant risk to passenger safety if action was not taken.”

Mr Masjanis appealed the decision and the case went before Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on June 6.

After hearing evidence, magistrates’ found in favour of the council and agreed that Mr Masjanis’ joint hackney carriage and private hire driver licence should be revoked.

Deciding the appeal, the magistrates said: “We find there was reasonable cause to revoke the appellant’s licence.

"His reactions to questions about the four incidents, his complete lack of understanding of the code of good conduct and, even in his summary, the appellant did not accept that any of his actions were unacceptable, lead us to believe he is not a fit a proper person to hold a taxi licence.

"We therefore do not find the decision of the council was wrong and your appeal is not upheld."

Mr Masjanis has a right to apply for leave to appeal this decision.