A Carmarthen taxi firm owner has been found guilty of driving one of his cabs whilst being unlicensed.
Stephen Paul Dunn, of Steve’s Taxis in Carmarthen, was convicted in his absence at Carmarthen Magistrates Court on October 10, and was fined £400.
Mr Dunn was licensed as a taxi driver by Carmarthenshire County Council until March 2013.
Carmarthen Magistrates Court heard that the council received a report claiming Mr Dunn had been seen driving a Hackney Carriage on May 24 2013.
As well as hand-delivering a letter to him, council officers verbally informed him that as he was no longer a licensed driver, he could not drive a Hackney Carriage vehicle at any time and if he did so, could face prosecution.
However, on June 12, Mr Dunn was seen by a council licensing officer at Lesneven Bridge, Carmarthen, driving a Hackney Carriage with a passenger in the vehicle.
He was prosecuted by the county council for an offence under Section 47 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.
The case came before magistrates in January 2014, but having failed to appear he was convicted in absence. However, Mr Dunn later successfully applied to the court to have his case re-heard, saying that he had not received a summons, and pleaded not guilty.
The case was re-heard on October 10 when he again failed to appear. He was convicted in his absence and fined £400. Magistrates also ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £858.67 and a victim surcharge of £40.
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