A taxi company has been fined £1,300 for failing to report an accident which involved an unlicensed driver.

Hatfield Heath-based Car Service Travel Limited was prosecuted by Uttlesford District Council and a ruling handed down by Colchester Magistrates’ Court on April 8.

The company was prosecuted for two offences – operating a private hire vehicle which was driven by an unlicensed driver and failing to report an accident which involved a private hire vehicle.

No one appeared to represent Car Service Travel Limited. The council proved the summary offences in the company’s absence.

The company was fined £1,000 for the offence of using an unlicensed driver and £300 for the offence of failing to notify an accident.

There was a victim surcharge of £90 added, and the company was also ordered to pay costs of £731.

At a meeting of the Licensing & Environmental Health Committee in March, the committee revoked the operator’s licence for Car Service Travel Limited on the basis that it was not satisfied the company was a fit and proper person to hold an operator’s licence in view of the fact that it had used an unlicensed driver.

The time for appealing against that decision has now expired and no notice received that an appeal has been lodged.

The council’s licensing committee chairman, Cllr Doug Perry, said: “I am pleased by the decision that the magistrates’ court has made.

“There is no excuse for not holding the proper licences or for failing to report an accident.

“Aside from being criminal offences, both are irresponsible acts. This is exactly the kind of case we should be using our powers to resolve and I’m delighted the magistrates agreed with our stance.”