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The wife-killer allowed to take the Knowledge exam to become a black cabbie is already driving passengers on the streets of the capital, the Evening Standard can reveal.
Transport For London has given Shamsul Haque, 38, a paranoid schizophrenic, a private hire licence allowing him to drive a minicab, even though it knew he had been convicted of manslaughter. He is currently driving for a London minicab firm.
Haque was sentenced to indefinite detention under the Mental Health Act in January 2001 but was released in October 2003.
The conviction is spent and he has been given the all-clear by his doctors.
As the Standard reported last week, TfL initially refused Haque a private hire licence.
But in a letter to the London Assembly, Jeroen Weimar, TfL's chief operating officer for enforcement, says: "After [Haque] was granted permission to study the Knowledge, he applied again to be a private hire driver, and, as the conditions are virtually the same as for starting the Knowledge, he was also granted a private hire driver's licence."
It also emerged last week that, as well as strangling his wife in 2000, Haque was cautioned by police for assault less than three months ago.
The Standard can reveal today that the person Haque assaulted was his daughter.
Tory Assembly member Andrew Boff said: "I am sympathetic to people who have been through mental illness and come out the other side. But this is starting to seem like a pattern of behaviour - first the wife, then the daughter.
"The reputation of the black cab trade is being damaged by this and it needs to be resolved quickly."
Mr Boff said he would quiz Boris Johnson, about the case at the Mayor's Question Time meeting today.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat chair of the Assembly's transport committee, said: "The issue is whether anything can be done [to prevent the man training] under the rules. But it seems to me that we need to review those rules."
TfL has launched a leak inquiry to find out how the Standard got hold of the information about Haque.
Mr Weimar's letter to Assembly members described our story as a "disappointing breach" of the man's right to privacy.
John Kennedy, of the RMT union's cab drivers section, said: "Finding out that this guy is a minicab driver just makes it worse. Our priority is to protect the public and TfL's priority seems to be to have a witchhunt against the person who exposed their behaviour."
TfL said it had ordered an "independent review" of its actions by two former senior managers of its cab section.
A spokesman said: "The issue uppermost in our minds is the safety of passengers. However, we also need to be mindful that personal details of a Knowledge applicant have been leaked."
Reader views (5)
My message to the public is do not take cab from streets town centre or from anywhere if its not pre book.I am sure if its been book from reputable firm its always safe. Coz your not guaranteed that you will find a black cab waiting in front the house when its dark and cold its mini cab who provide you those services for less and fixed price and safe too.
- Raj Nanda, Kingston Upon Thames, 21/01/2010 06:56
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i was talking to a girl not long ago who was attackted by a mini cab driver, i and my family only use licenced black cabs who are the worlds best but if this guy gets a black cab license then i wont use them again, which is a shame becase they are fantastic, but i just cant take the risk
- Stanley, london, 21/01/2010 05:56
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I agree with Steve, i will certainly be advising my family members against using mini-cabs until this farce is sorted out.
- Lee, Watford, 21/01/2010 05:56
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Didn´t we comment on this one recently? My feelings are he´ll OK if he continues to take his medication, but will he? We frequently hear of cases where people stop taking their medication, contrary to medical advice, often with disastrous consequences. I´d prefer not to drive with this cabble.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands, 21/01/2010 05:56
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This so called independent review is being carried out by Roy Ellis, who was the top man at the PCO for many years. Why is it when politicians get it wrong they simply pick one of their boys.
If they have been hog tied by the law as they claim, then clearly the law needs to be changed.
I or my family will not be using minicabs as long as this situation remains unchanged.
Kind regards
- Steve M, LONDON, 21/01/2010 05:56
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