Death charge taxi man still working

From the archive, first published Friday 10th Feb 2006.

A taxi driver from Bradford has been allowed to continue working - despite a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

Shahid Rashid, 31, of Dorset Street, Little Horton, must appear before magistrates in Pontefract, near Wakefield, next month, in connection with a fatal accident.

A young woman motorcycle pillion passenger died in the crash in July last year.

But Wakefield Council, which registers Mr Rashid as a private hire driver, is allowing him to carry on driving until the outcome of the case.

The accident happened in the early hours of Friday, July 1, last year. A Toyota Corolla and a Honda Hornet bike were in collision just before 1am on the A639 Leeds Road, at a junction in Glasshoughton, near Wakefield.

The pillion passenger, Lian Senior, 20, of Kettlethorpe, Wakefield, received fatal injuries and the rider was taken to Pinderfields Hospital with serious injuries.

The car driver was arrested soon after the accident and interviewed by police.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed a 31-year-old man from Bradford was due to appear before Pontefract magistrates next month. She said: "We sent a file to the Crown Prosecution Service and they have reported him for summons for death by dangerous driving."

A spokesman for Pontefract magistrates confirmed Mr Rashid was due to appear on a charge of causing death by dangerous driving on March 27. A spokesman for Wakefield Council confirmed Mr Rashid was registered with them as a private hire driver.

She added: "We have received no information from the police which affects his position at work, so he has not been suspended. We have no reason to suspend him. We have to wait for the outcome of the court case."

But Bradford Council's licensing department would take a much tougher stance in similar circumstances.

A spokesman said: "As soon as we are notified that a driver has been arrested on a charge of death by dangerous driving, we would suspend their licence immediately.

"If they are then charged with this offence, we would revoke their licence.

"If we heard unofficially that someone had been investigated for an offence, we would immediately seek clarification from the police."

Bradford is known to set among the highest standards in the country in such matters and is seen to be more pro-active than many other areas.

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