Private hire licence refused after driver 'had no idea' how £5,000 ended up in his account

A would-be private hire driver who claimed he had “no idea” how £5,000 ended up in his account has lost his licence bid.

Glasgow’s licensing committee rejected Umar Nasir’s application to work as a private hire driver in the city following an objection from Police Scotland.

An officer told the licensing committee that Nasir had been convicted under the Proceeds of Crime Act. He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and handed a six-month restriction of liberty order.

She said the conviction related to an incident in October 2020 when a member of the public reported he had been “defrauded to the amount of £9,900”.

“Further enquiries showed a proportion of the cash, £5,000, had been transferred into the applicant’s bank account,” the officer added.

“He then used the money to purchase currency at several different locations throughout Glasgow.”

Nasir said he had lost his wallet at the time and “had no idea how that money got into my account and why it was used”.

Cllr Alex Wilson, SNP, who chairs the licensing committee, said: “When did you look in your bank account and go ‘I’ve suddenly got £5,000 in my account’? You didn’t notice that?”

The applicant claimed the money had been used “the same day or the following day” and he hadn’t realised for one month.

Nasir then went to his bank but they “said they couldn’t talk about it” and closed his account, he said, adding: “I didn’t know anything about it at the time.”

Cllr Wilson said “You have been to court and you were found guilty. That tells a story in itself.”

Nasir said the incident happened over five years ago and he wanted to work as a private hire driver to provide for his family.

He told councillors he is now married, and has a child, and has been struggling to find jobs due to his criminal record.

The committee decided to refuse the application.