Rapists, paedophiles and dangerous drivers are among those who have applied to be taxi drivers in Wales, with one in four applications showing up previous convictions.
And some drivers with previous convictions have been handed licences by councils, it has been revealed.
Among the previous convictions for people applying for taxi licences, revealed through the Disclosure and Barring Service, were three rapes, five convictions for gross indecency with a child and one for attempted incest.
The facts
- Across Wales, there were 38 convictions for indecent assault on women aged 16 and over, 20 indecent assaults on girls aged under 14 and one on a boy aged under 14. There were seven convictions for kidnapping across Wales and three convictions for manslaughter.
- Amazingly there were also five convictions for causing death by dangerous driving, and two for causing death by reckless.
- Across Wales, there were 72 previous convictions for dangerous driving.
- Across the local authorities in Wales, those applying for taxi licences between April 2012 and March 2015 had 1,080 previous convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, 1,755 for having no motor insurance, 968 for driving while disqualified, 714 for taking conveyance without authority and 487 for driving while over the limit.
- A total of 1,288 applications from across the area in 2014/15 were revealed to have previous convictions, out of 4,999 applications, with a total of 8,656 previous convictions, according to figures revealed following a Freedom of Information request.
Convicted drivers
One in four applications for taxi licences in 2014/15 showed previous convictions, down from nearly one in three in 2012/13.
Meanwhile separate figures revealed that 29 drivers in Bridgend were issued a taxi licence despite criminal convictions between November 2014 and October 2015.
All applicants for new or renewed hackney carriage or private hire licences must obtain a DBS check.
The figures do not show if applicants were given licences, as councils have discretion over whether to disregard previous offences.
Decisions are made by the licensing committee.
The figures are based on searching for the word “taxi driver” in the DBS system.
The same applicant may have submitted more than one application in the specified time period.
'Highly unlikely'
A spokesman for Cardiff , Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan Councils , who have a shared regulation service, said decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, but it is “highly unlikely that any applicants convicted of serious offences will be granted a licence”.
The spokesman added: “Once licensed all drivers are required to undertake an enhanced DBS check every three years and existing drivers may have their licence suspended or revoked if they obtain new convictions.
“The police notify the council of offences committed by taxi drivers and in the case of serious offences the council has the power to revoke a driver’s licence with immediate effect in the interests of public safety.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Local Government Association said minimum requirements are in place that are “largely standard” to all councils.
And as well as DBS and physical fitness checks councils take “robust enforcement action” against any unlicensed drivers they identify.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rapists-paedophiles-dangerous-drivers-among-10907391
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