A TAXI operator was ordered to pay more than £2,000 in court costs after challenging a decision to allow a known sex offender to work at his company and then withdrawing the appeal.

Mohammed Sajid Khaliq holds the private hire operator’s licence for Crown and Greenline taxis, in Pendle and had been employing a known sex offender to work as a dispatcher.

The man Mr Khaliq was employing was on the sex offenders register and Pendle Council successfully applied for an order at Burnley Magistrates’ Court to prevent the man entering Mr Khaliq’s taxi company.

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Mr Khaliq challenged the decision but on May 25 at Burnley Crown Court, after taking advice, he decided to drop the appeal.

Neil Watson, taxi licensing manager at Pendle Council, said: “Public safety is a top priority for us. At Burnley Crown Court the judge was surprised that Mohammed Khaliq was appealing against our decision and Burnley Magistrates Court which upheld it.

“He called into question whether Mohammed Khaliq was a fit and proper person to operate the business.

The judge warned that if the appeal went ahead, it could jeopardise the future of his operator’s licence.”

Following advice from his barrister, Mr Khaliq withdrew his appeal and was ordered to pay £2,033.26 in court costs.