Manchester minicab driver with an 'unhealthy interest' in teenage girls groped female passenger

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Minicab driver Syed Al-Zia, 43, has been given a two year suspended jail sentence and ordered to undertake 30 hours of rehabilitation and 200 hours of unpaid work and sign the sex offenders register for 10 years for groping a female passenger and showing an 'unhealthy interest' in teenage girls. A court heard Al-Zia sexually assaulted his first victim when she took a ride in his minicab last year. The following night he then grabbed hold of a frightened teenage girl who also took a ride in his minicab. Al-Zia worked for Trafford, Manchester, private hire firm, Club Cars, and has lost his licence with immediate effect. Al-Zia assaulted his first victim after she had ordered a minicab off of an app. A court heard that Al-Zia locked the doors and began to call her cute and asking if she had a boyfriend. He asked how old she was and when she told him, he replied by say he thought she looked '15'. Al-Zia then sexually assaulted her and demanded she give him her mobile number before he would let her exit the vehicle. The victim now is said to have less trust in people and is now reluctant to order minicabs to travel in. The following night Al-Zia began flirting was two teenage girls. Sensing danger, the girls asked to be let out of the vehicle. As they were exiting, Al-Zia grabbed one of them by the arm and told her she should get back in. He only let her go when they began to phone someone. Ms Claire Brocklebank, defending Al-Zia, said:

He is a man who has worked his entire life, at a shop then as a taxi driver. He has lost his taxi licence which was an immediate punishment for him. He has lost the job he did and his livelihood. His wife has a slipped disc and when she’s ill she relies on him to do his work. He has three children and he is a full time father.”

As reported in the Manchester Evening News, Judge Bernadette Baxter addressed Al-Zia by saying:

“You know very well what you have done. You think you are entitled to do what you did, well you are not. You will have to address that. As a taxi driver you are a trusted person. When people get into a taxi they rely on who is driving the vehicle not to assault or molest them.”

Judge Baxter also added that he thought Al-Zia had an 'unhealthy interest' in teenage girls.

Al-Zia was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court.

April 16, 2018 at 10:49AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Chic in Shropshire: 4* hotel from £30pppn incl. breakfast, indoor pool & jacuzzi

Pirates, treat yourself to a stay in the 4* Park House Hotel in Shifnal, Shropshire, from only £30pppn including a hearty breakfast. This lovely 17th-century country house hotel has an indoor pool and spa bath, and is a lovely spot to unwind. Offer Details: Many travel durations possible - 1 night minimum stay Sample dates… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Flights to incredible Borneo from £419rtn - incl. luggage & meals

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BREAKING NEWS: The Case Against Driver In The Exhibition Road “RTA”Attack Is To Go Ahead.

The driver, still unnamed by police, was driving east along Cromwell Road with passengers picked up on the Uber app, when he suddenly veered right, mounted the pavement, ploughed though concrete blocks, into pedestrians before smashing into two cars waiting at the traffic lights southbound on Exhibition Road. 

He than got out of the car, screaming at onlookers and tried to run off, but was pulled to the ground and held till police arrived and arrested him.

The driver has been charged with:

* possession of false documents, 

* obtaining a driver’s licence with fake documents

* obtaining a PH licence with fake documents, 

* causing injury by dangerous driving. 

The question has to be asked, is this one of Helen Chapman's 13,000 drivers with a fake DBS check certificate?

Did TfL contact this driver and tell him he had to resubmit for a DBS check?

TFL's Helen Chapman new in January 2017 that there were 13,000 PH drivers with fake DBS's and said nothing until it was exposed in the media. 

Without an enhanced criminal record check (or letter from embassy staff) he should never have been granted a private hire licence. 

Should everyone injured in this RTA be suing Helen Chapman and TfL???

Perhaps one for the no win no fee lawyers out there!

When the news broke that a car had ploughed into a crowd of pedestrians outside the Natural History Museum, almost everyone with children fleetingly entertained the same thought: it could have been us.

Everyone made a guess at what had happened. 

Some shared their guesses as fact. 

Car, pedestrian injuries, high-profile venue, panicking crowds, immediate police presence, swirling rumours… "Terrorist Attack"

But we are now told this wasn't the case.

This was just a driver, with a falsely obtained drivers licence, a falsely obtained private hire drivers licence using an Uber app, having a bad day at the office. 

It begs the question "how many more of these fake PH drivers are still out there using the Uber app?"

We've been told that 2,600 resubmitted DBS checks, so at an educated guess I'd say about 10,399.

    TfL UNFIT FOR PURPOSE...

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LEVC: frequently asked questions surrounding the TX eCity taxi

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The introduction of the new range-extended electric taxi is intended to give cab drivers the latest technology – reducing running costs and ensuring a smoother, more pleasant experience for passengers.

However, as with any big change – there will always be a number of concerns and rumours about some of the details.

LEVC claim to have spent months consulting with cab drivers, covering every facet of the new model’s creation, the painstaking testing procedures it has undergone, and how it will change cabbies’ working day for the better. Here are some of LEVC’s replies to some of the most common questions about the new TX electric taxi.Will TX cost me more to run/maintain?An electric powertrain means far lower fuel costs than previous taxi models. Electricity is considerably cheaper than diesel, so drivers can expect to save approximately £100 per week on fuel costs by adopting new, electric eCity technology. At the same time, fewer moving parts and innovative regenerative braking mean less wear and tear. You also benefit by much greater service intervals – just every 25,000 miles.

Won’t TX take too long to charge up?Rapid charging points can recharge the TX in just half an hour, meaning your cab could be charged in the time it takes to grab a cup of tea or bite of lunch. TfL have committed to installing 150 of these rapid chargers in London by the end of the year – whilst additional rapid chargers are being installed at petrol stations, shopping centres and airports around London.Are there enough charging points?LEVC are working with local authorities and the government to install more infrastructure dedicated specifically to taxi drivers. For example, TfL promises to install a total of 300 dedicated charge points in London by the end of 2020. We are working with private companies to increase the investment in charge points for drivers.I’ve heard the battery emits radiation - is this true?All vehicles manufactured in the UK have to meet strict regulations around electromagnetic radiation levels in order to be sold around Europe. The Vehicle Certification Agency oversee these tests in the UK, and our cab passed these with flying colours. In addition, our battery technology has been used in other Geely group vehicles including Volvo Cars, with owners covering millions upon millions of miles.

I travel 60-70 miles per day – will the TX be able to cope?Absolutely! A recent feasibility study carried out by our Manchester dealership showed that over 70% of taxi drivers within the region travelled approximately 70 miles on their average working day. That means that for most of Manchester’s taxi drivers, an overnight charge would enable them to carry out almost all their working day on pure electric power, if they chose to do so. With the backup of the petrol generator adding almost 300 miles, nobody travelling this distance needs suffer from range-anxiety. It’s all in a day’s work for the TX, literally.Will installing a charging point at my home be expensive?No! We’ve partnered with ChargeMaster, the leading supplier of home charge units in the UK, to offer a one-stop solution of your very own 7kW unit. Once installed, you’ll be able to charge your TX in under four hours. The cost of supply and fitting is just £299 and includes a five-year warranty. That usually means that in less than a month, the average saving you’ll make on fuel costs should have covered the installation. Sounds fare to us!What are Transport for Greater Manchester doing to support more accessible charging infrastructure?Transport for Greater Manchester is looking to massively expand the number of charge points across the region and have applied for DEFRA funding to do so. This includes updating historic charge points and adding more rapid-charge points. They are also looking at introducing a simple booking/reservation system for charge point usage. Although initially charge points won’t be exclusive to taxi drivers, the plan includes dedicated installations at private sites, such as taxi ranks. Preferential rates and tariffs for specific user groups, such as taxis, are also being proposed.When will the above take place?We expect a large portion of the installations to take place in September 2018, with a rollout of further infrastructure carrying on into 2019.That seems a long way off. How am I covered for charging now?The easiest and cheapest way of charging your TX is at home. A full charge can cost as little as £3.20, especially if done so overnight to take advantage of lower tariffs. With a ChargeMaster 7kW wall box installed, and the typical range of the average driver discussed above, you should be able to operate with ease. If this type of charging isn’t available to you, there are also approximately 200 charge points within the Greater Manchester area. As we show above, more of these historic charge points will be converted to rapid charge units on a daily basis, and they’ll allow you to recharge 60% of the battery in just 45 minutes.The TX has been specifically designed to offer unrivalled charging flexibility. This allows you to top up from virtually any public charge point, whether standard (>7kW), fast (>22kW), or rapid (>50kW). With all socket types built in, you’ll be able to maximise the savings available from driving on electric power. What’s more, the TX’s dual on-board inverter chargers allow drivers to harness the full charging rate available. In summary, the TX uses all the available current to recharge the battery even quicker. So, charging your TX is already quick, economical, and easy, but will get even better in the near future.

April 15, 2018 at 09:00PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Lancashire constabulary appeal for witnesses after man falls from taxi

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A man is in a critical condition after he fell from a taxi in Burnley in the early hours of this morning.

Police were called at around 2:10am on Sunday April 15th following reports of a serious incident on the A682, Church Street, near to Active Way.A 40-year-old man from Brierfield was resuscitated at the scene. He suffered multiple-injuries and he was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.His family are being supported by specially trained officers.We believe that the man was a passenger in a Toyota Avensis private hire taxi.The road was closed for two hours for Collision Investigation work.Sgt Marc Glass, of Lancashire Police, said: “An investigation is underway following a serious incident in Burnley.“A man has suffered life-threatening injuries and our thoughts are with the man and his family at this difficult time. “We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident and has not yet spoken with police to come forward

April 15, 2018 at 08:24PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

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SUNDAY SPECIAL REPORT: What’s it like, having your Uber account hacked ?

The story of celebrity Anthea Turner hit the media back in 2015. TfL never commented on the story, or took action over, even though they knew what was going on. 

2.7 UK Uber accounts had been hacked and many customers couldn’t close down their accounts because the hackers had changed the login details. 

The stories soon disappeared even though other celebrities and dignitaries had also been hacked.

Posted April 8th 2015:

On that day, Anthea Turner like many Uber London customers, woke up to find that her rider account had been accessed illegally, by a third party who had been using her account over the bank Holliday Weekend.

Anthea made this tweet at 10:53 yesterday morning after discovering the money had already been taken from her bank account.

Many people (who use the same password for multiple applications) have found their personal bank details and social media platforms have also been accessed. TfL have never mentioned this either. 

Anthea had been unable to find help from Uber as their twitter helpline has been swamped with customer complaints. 

Uber denied reports of a major hack. 

In fact, Uber immediately took down their London user Twitter account and replaced it with a nation user account, hopping this would dilute the complaint statistics after the major security breach.

Uber again denied their systems have been hacked. Nine months previously, their systems were breached with drivers details stolen including; drivers names, addresses and credit card details. 

Amazingly, Uber said nothing about this for five months, according to the New York Times. 

Anthea's celebrity friend, hard man actor Tamer Hassan had this bit of advice for her at the time:

A the same time, 35-year-old record producer Mike Crossley alleged that over the course of 10 days, someone took 142 Uber rides using his account — racking up a £3,000 bill. 

"Most of the time they were using the expensive luxury service to run up the bill," he said. 

"They were quite random although there was an address in Westminster they went to more than once."

Uber denied there had been a breach — but hurriedly refund customers. 

It wasn't until 2017, we found out just how big the hack had actually been. 2.7 million UK accounts had been hacked, 57 million world wide and Uber had covered it up 

Here are some more hacks reported at that time on Twitter

Next week....Uber's Spy In The Sky... GreyBall. 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT:

Just how corrupt if this company?

The advice given below, was taken from an UBER driver forum post, on how to beat the Gatwick out of licencing area situation:

"I'll go physically into the McD's on the N road and sit with a coffee with the app still running. It can surely then be claimed to be accidental in that case if there's an issue."

Also, incase you may have missed this: 

Recorded clip from the Cristo show on LBC, an Uber driver discusses how his system is set up to deceive and over charge the Uber customer. 

            

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Boris Johnson Said They Were Illegal, Sir Peter Hendy Said “It’s What The Public Want”

  What’s it like to have your Uber account hacked ?

This story from celebrity Anthea Turner  was posted on Taxi Leaks back in 2015. TfL never commented on the story even though they knew what was going on. 

Hundreds of accounts had been hacked and customers couldn’t close down their accounts because the hackers had changed the login details. 

Posted April 8th 2015:

Yesterday morning, Anthea Turner like many Uber London customers, woke up to find that her rider account had been accessed illegally, by a third party who had been using her account over the bank Holliday Weekend.

Anthea made the tweet at 10:53 yesterday morning after discovering the money had already been taken from her bank account.

Many people (who use the same password for multiple applications) have found their personal bank details and social media platforms have also been accessed.

So far, Anthea has been unable to any find help from Uber as their twitter helpline has been swamped with customer complaints.

In fact, Uber have now taken down their London user Twitter account and replaced it with a nation user account, hopping this would dilute the complaint statistics after the current security breach.

Uber have again denied their systems have been hacked. Nine months ago, Uber's system were breached with drivers details stolen including drivers names, addresses and credit card details. Amazingly, Uber said nothing about this for five months, according to the New York Times. 

Anthea's celebrity friend, hard man actor Tamer Hassan had this bit of advice for her at the time:

Keep supporting our iconic London Blck Cab. Do not use Uber, they are robbing our country of its taxes. 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT:

The advice given below, was taken from an UBER driver forum post on how to beat the Gatwick out of licencing area situation:

"I'll go physically into the McD's on the N road and sit with a coffee with the app still running. It can surely then be claimed to be accidental in that case if there's an issue."

Also, incase you may have missed this: 

Recorded clip from the Cristo show on LBC, an Uber driver discusses how his system is set up to deceive and over charge the Uber customer.  

            

.

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