Public has a right to feel safe

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Tuesday 13th Jul 2004.

There is a legal presumption that having been convicted of a crime a person has paid his or her debt to society and should be free to start again with a clean sheet.

It's a noble principle and one which we would all like to believe is a reflection of reality, but the fact is that there is a considerable risk of some criminals re-offending.

Bradford Council is already dealing with the aftermath of one incident in which they granted a licence to a taxi driver who had a conviction for physical assault who later went on to indecently assault a 15-year-old schoolgirl in a cab.

Against this background extra caution needs to be taken to ensure that the public will be confident they will be safe and secure when they step into a taxi or private hire car.

No-one is saying that Joseph Martin, who holds a probationary licence and drives for a Shipley-based private hire company, is likely to repeat his offence of manslaughter, for which he was sentenced to six years after strangling his wife in a jealous rage.

But regardless of how long ago the crime occurred or how unblemished his record might have been since, anyone - particularly women travelling alone - would be unlikely to feel any degree of confidence about their safety when climbing into a car with a man who held such a conviction.

Clearly the rules and the criteria by which the licensing panel are working are deeply flawed. The must remember that the public has a right to feel safe, secure and protected, and as part of their duty to their citizens they should review their policy at once.

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