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A convicted killer and paranoid schizophrenic is being allowed to study "the knowledge" to become a black cab driver despite fears that the public could be put at risk.
The London man strangled his wife in 2000 and pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility at the Old Bailey.
The 38-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to indefinite detention under the Mental Health Act in January 2001 but was released in October 2003.
He began studying for "the knowledge" and is currently taking the examination which involves a series of personal interviews or "appearances" in which drivers are quizzed about routes. The case has sparked a major row inside Transport for London.
Examiners at the Public Carriage Office, the part of TfL which regulates the cab trade, were appalled when they found out about his past and tried to prevent him sitting the exam.
"The safety of the public is at risk," said one, adding: "This guy killed his wife less than 10 years ago and if he passes the exam we are going to put him in a cab, on his own, picking up lone women all over London." At least one woman examiner at the PCO has refused to be in the same room as him.
But the examiners were overruled by senior PCO and TfL officials. A TfL spokesman said that his manslaughter conviction was "spent" under offender rehabilitation laws. "If a conviction is spent, a conviction is spent,” he said. “If we refused [such] an applicant we would be subject to legal action.”
The Standard understands that the man sued TfL, and lost, after being refused a minicab licence because of his past.
However, TfL officials say that case took place within the three years after he was released
from detention, giving them the right to reject him.
The man is now understood to have convinced doctors that he is no longer a danger and is
taking drugs which have brought his paranoid schizophrenia under control.
Courtney Connell, a former PCO examiner, said: “It is totally outrageous. People at the PCO are going crazy about this.”
George Vice, a member of the RMT union's cab drivers' committee, said: “I cannot believe this is happening and nobody on the committee can either. If some action is not taken, I'm sure the RMT will take it.”
The cab trade is still reeling after John Worboys was convicted of sex attacks on women in his cab.
TfL applies the principles of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act in deciding who to block. Any
conviction which earns a prison sentence of more than two and a half years can never be “spent” under the Act.
This would normally cover any conviction such
as murder or manslaughter. However, detention under the Mental Health Act becomes spent after five years.
The TfL spokesman said: “We go through a great many processes to check that an applicant
is suitable.
"Where someone has a conviction for a violent crime we look at the circumstances of
the offence and their subsequent behaviour. We have consulted all the relevant parties on this application, including healthcare providers, though the final judgment is the PCO's.”
The man was unavailable for comment.
Reader views (22)
So long as he remembers to take his medicine, passengers will be ok. Should passengers now be compelled to take out passenger insurance in case their taxi driver hasn't taken his medication? This is another case of PC England being afraid to say boo...
- Alan Brian, London, UK, 03/09/2009 10:13
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There are many drugs prescribed for psychological conditions that come with the prescriptive instruction "do not drive or operate machinery". Has the PCO or TfL looked at what this man is being prescribed and acted accordingly.
- Peter, Falmouth, Antigua, 03/09/2009 00:59
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A very nice man I used to know was murdered at random, and several others severely injured, by a paranoid schizophrenic who hadn't taken his medication. So this isn't just a hypothetical risk: it can happen, does happen, and has happened.
- Mdj E10, london uk, 02/09/2009 22:29
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Dear Philippa from London.
So the learned, erudite and experienced professional doctors were following Christopher Clunes to make sure he took his medication? No, they did not, result the murder of Jonathan Zito.
- Wrighty, London, 02/09/2009 20:11
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I'm glad this guy has been given this opportunity. Mental illness is NOT a crime and neither does it mean a dead end road. There are a lot of ignorant people out there and that is so unhelpful in reducing the stigma attached to mental illness. Its about time people stop this prejudice. Jim, London, what do you mean 'these people'??? 'These people' are people like me, you, your mother, father, brother, sister, friend, neighbour... all just ordianry people!
Mental illness affects 1 in 4 people at any one time.
This guy obviously has had treatment, been assessed and is deemed fit to work. I very much doubt this was an easy decsion and I can understand that. It's true that people with schizophrenia can relapse if they stop taking their medication so as long as this guy is motnitored frequently. If he is not, there could be a risk, but if he was monitored adequately, I think the risk of offence would be the same for other cabbies.
- Alice, London, 02/09/2009 18:40
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Hullaballoo and hysteria! So knee jerk reactions and ignorant prejudice should inform legislation and licensing instead of the considered opinions of learned, erudite, experienced professional doctors and lawyers. Leave the man alone and learn to trust those who's knowledge is somewhat more balanced than the layman's who's opinions are based on rumour, anecdote and mob mentality.
- Philippa From London, London, 02/09/2009 16:37
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So the safety of women in a black cab is now down to a diagnosed schizophrenic deciding whether or not to take his medication.
How do we know whether he is taking his medication correctly? Who is policing it?
Answer, WE DON'T KNOW.
- Ann Louisa, Southampton, 02/09/2009 16:19
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Dear Susan from London: The irony is that somebody suffering from cancer and other illness’s the Public Carriage Office would be likely to revoke the cab drivers licence. It seems they have draconian powers over the physically sick but are hamstrung over someone who needs constant medication to keep them on an even keel to not act in a violent manner.
- Wrighty, London, 02/09/2009 15:48
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Dear Susan from London: The irony is that somebody suffering from cancer and other illness’s the Public Carriage Office would be likely to revoke the cab drivers licence. It seems they have draconian powers over the physically sick but are hamstrung over someone who needs constant medication to keep them on an even keel to not act in a violent manner.
- Mr Wright, Central London, 02/09/2009 15:37
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He'll be just fine as long as he takes his medication.
- Trunk, US, 02/09/2009 15:23
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This terrifies me. If these are the sorts of people they are allowing to drive cabs, I will never set foot in a black cab again.
- Joan, London, 02/09/2009 15:12
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As a wife of a cabbie, this bloke will never pass out, they will just keep putting him back and failing him on the knowledge.
- Angela, London, 02/09/2009 14:32
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So, what would the bigots - sorry, mental-health experts - rather have him do. Sit on the dole or earn a living?
- Austen, London, 02/09/2009 14:23
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Is he safe to *drive* while taking his medication? Has he disclosed his medication to his taxi-insurer?
That aside, it's a hard one. There are other people who are a danger to the public on medical grounds if they refuse to act responsibly, but we don't deny them their freedom because of what they *might* do. Hepatitis carriers, people being treated for TB, people who are HIV-positive, even any of us who catch flu.
It ought to be made a serious crime for people with a treatable mental illness to refuse to take their medication - that's the offense comitted by a sane person, before he again becomes insane. Maybe someone ought to be checking on them. I don't think that a person who offended while insane should be punished after he's regained his sanity, but a compulsory weekly check-up and occasional random blood test might not be unreasonable.
- Nigel, London, 02/09/2009 14:16
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Susan, London: I hear what you are saying and agree with you to a great extent. However, there are those with mental illness and those will mental illness who skill (i.e. paranoid schizophrenics). Would you trust the life of a loved one with someone who had a previous conviction for murder under these circumstances, and where there was no way of guaranteeing that they took their medication as required? I don't think I could.
- Jlo, London, 02/09/2009 13:53
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Of all the jobs he could have chosen, you have to wonder why he's picked this one. Why not an IT consultant, or a Gardner, or a therapist for people with similar problems? If he had killed a child whilst he was ill, would he be allowed to work with children again . . . ?
- Roz, France, 02/09/2009 13:44
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I am shocked at the last comment. Having a mental health problem is not a crime unlike the crimes which can be committed by paedophiles. Rather like those suffering from cancer, people with mental health problems can be excellent employees with the right medical and peer support.
- Susan, London, 02/09/2009 12:08
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Jim wouldn't you just know it, revealing that sort of important public information would undoubtedly breach his human rights!!!
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England, 02/09/2009 12:00
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I'm sure that were this man to decide not to continue with his medication, because of the side effects--a common problem--and were he to attack a female passenger. TFl would express their very sincere sorrow and chant the mantra 'lessons have been learned'.
- Dectora, London UK, 02/09/2009 11:45
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Just like paedophiles, we need to know where these types of people are at any moment. If we cannot stop them working in the public sphere we must have a means of alerting people.
- Jim, London, England, 02/09/2009 10:25
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Alright, as long as he continues to take his medication, there shouldn´t be any problems. Unfortunately, we frequently read of people with this mental condition lapsing when they stop taking their medication. I´m not sure being one of this man´s passengers is a risk I would want to take.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 02/09/2009 10:18
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"is taking drugs which have brought his paranoid schizophrenia under control."
And of course, as long as the prescription doesn't need adjusting and he doesn't forget to take his drugs then he's probably fine, the key word being probably.
- Bob, Cheam, 02/09/2009 09:55
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