A taxi driver has lost his licence after being reported by another taxi driver.

Ahmed Al Ansar, from Milton, Cambridge, lost his second appeal after picking up a passenger without the necessary legal documents.

The offence was uncovered when the passenger, also a licensed taxi driver, reported him.

An application showed Ansar quickly tried to apply online for a private hire licence to cover himself, but the court did not believe his story.

Ansar's lack of a private hire licence meant his vehicle insurance was invalid, resulting in his taxi driver's licence being revoked.

The 36-year-old appealed this decision, stating it had been an accidental pick-up, but lost his first appeal at Cambridge Magistrates Court in November 2023.

A year later, his second appeal failed at a Peterborough Crown Court hearing, where his licence was revoked and he was ordered to pay costs of £2,551.

An additional £1,967 costs from the first appeal was upheld.

Councillor Natalie Warren Green, lead cabinet member for licensing at South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Ensuring passenger safety is our highest priority.

"All private hire vehicles must be roadworthy and meet strict legal standards, as passengers place their trust in the drivers who transport them.

"The council has proven that this individual does not meet the standards of a fit and proper taxi driver, leading the court to revoke his licence."

The council received a complaint in April 2021 from a passenger who claimed they had been picked up in a vehicle with no plate displayed on the rear and no council-issued or operator door signs.

Ansar was unable to produce an exemption certificate when questioned about this during the journey.

The complainant, who was also a licensed driver, said he would be making a complaint supported by photos of the vehicle and driver badge.