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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Killer removed from taxi course | Killer removed from taxi course |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A paranoid schizophrenic killer will not be allowed to study to become a black-cab driver following protests from taxi drivers. | A paranoid schizophrenic killer will not be allowed to study to become a black-cab driver following protests from taxi drivers. |
| The man, who cannot be named, strangled his wife in 2000 and was jailed indefinitely for manslaughter in 2001. | The man, who cannot be named, strangled his wife in 2000 and was jailed indefinitely for manslaughter in 2001. |
| Moves to allow him to train jeopardised the industry's reputation, the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) said. | Moves to allow him to train jeopardised the industry's reputation, the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) said. |
| Transport for London (TfL) said he was removed from the Knowledge course because of his criminal history. | Transport for London (TfL) said he was removed from the Knowledge course because of his criminal history. |
| Hundreds of cabbies blocked streets outside the public carriage office in protest over the decision to allow the 38-year-old to take the black taxi exams. | Hundreds of cabbies blocked streets outside the public carriage office in protest over the decision to allow the 38-year-old to take the black taxi exams. |
| Shock waves | Shock waves |
| He had been detained under the Mental Health Act after killing his wife and released after the parole board assessed he was no longer a risk to society, which left him free to pursue work. | He had been detained under the Mental Health Act after killing his wife and released after the parole board assessed he was no longer a risk to society, which left him free to pursue work. |
| He has been working as a minicab driver but his license has now been revoked. | |
| Bob Oddy, LTDA General Secretary said: "The original decision to accept [the man] onto the Knowledge sent shock waves through our trade. | Bob Oddy, LTDA General Secretary said: "The original decision to accept [the man] onto the Knowledge sent shock waves through our trade. |
| "The united trade demonstration and crisis meeting achieved the desired result and this Public Carriage Office u-turn will go some way to restoring public confidence in London's world renowned taxi service." | "The united trade demonstration and crisis meeting achieved the desired result and this Public Carriage Office u-turn will go some way to restoring public confidence in London's world renowned taxi service." |
| Jeroen Weimar, Chief Operating Officer at TfL said it had announced plans to tighten the guidelines for licensing taxi and private hire drivers in the Capital. | Jeroen Weimar, Chief Operating Officer at TfL said it had announced plans to tighten the guidelines for licensing taxi and private hire drivers in the Capital. |
| In future, taxi and private hire licences will not be granted to applicants who have been convicted for serious or violent offences, unless there are exceptional mitigating circumstances. | In future, taxi and private hire licences will not be granted to applicants who have been convicted for serious or violent offences, unless there are exceptional mitigating circumstances. |
| 'Productive lives' | 'Productive lives' |
| "This was a unique case and we fully understand the concerns of everybody in the cab trade at the implications for public safety and confidence," Mr Weimar said. | "This was a unique case and we fully understand the concerns of everybody in the cab trade at the implications for public safety and confidence," Mr Weimar said. |
| "I am grateful to the LTDA for making clear how strongly working taxi drivers felt about this issue. | "I am grateful to the LTDA for making clear how strongly working taxi drivers felt about this issue. |
| "The independent review made it clear that this individual's wider criminal history meant he should not progress with the Knowledge or be licensed by us." | "The independent review made it clear that this individual's wider criminal history meant he should not progress with the Knowledge or be licensed by us." |
| Earlier this month, a spokesman for the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health said it could not comment on an individual case. | Earlier this month, a spokesman for the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health said it could not comment on an individual case. |
| But he said: "The vast majority of people with an illness like schizophrenia can still work and can still lead decent, productive lives. | But he said: "The vast majority of people with an illness like schizophrenia can still work and can still lead decent, productive lives. |
| "Having a condition like schizophrenia - you can recover entirely from it - should not in itself preclude someone from working." | "Having a condition like schizophrenia - you can recover entirely from it - should not in itself preclude someone from working." |