Burnley man prosecuted for using false documents to gain taxi licence

During a three-day trial at Preston Crown Court, the jury was told that Adam Khan (34), of Church Street, Burnley, acquired a new passport and driver’s licence, and undertook a medical examination, prior to submitting a taxi driver licence application to Burnley Council.

The court heard that Khan failed to declare on his taxi application form and his DBS application that he had a previous name, Aqil Khan, and did not declare his previous conviction for violence in that name.

After all checks were completed, he was initially granted a taxi driver’s licence.

However, council officers, acting on information given to them, investigated and once the situation regarding his previous name came to light his licence was revoked with immediate effect.

The council worked in partnership with the police to investigate the matter and Khan was subsequently charged with fraud.

The case was adjourned for sentencing at a later date.

Coun. Bea Foster, the council’s executive member for community and environmental services, said: “Thanks to our partnership approach with colleagues at Lancashire Police, we’ve been able to catch this individual who would not have been granted a taxi licence if his true identity had been known.

"We will continue to work to help protect the safety of members of the public who use local taxis.”

PC Paul Marsden, of Lancashire Police’s Burnley and Rossendale neighbourhood policing team, said: “We have really strong relationships with Burnley Council and we will continue working closely with it and other partners.”