A TAXI driver who was driving without a licence has been fined.

Blackburn magistrates heard Iftikhar Hussain, of Revidge Road, Blackburn, attended the council offices to renew his private hire driver's licence.

But licensing officers discovered that his licence had expired several days earlier.

Checks with the private hire office revealed that Hussain had continued to work as a private hire driver after the licence had expired. He completed 35 jobs during the time he had no current licence.

Hussain pleaded guilty to driving a private hire vehicle without having a current licence.

Hussain was given six penalty points on his DVLA driver's licence and was fined £80 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30. He was also ordered to pay £150 court costs.

He also pleaded guilty to an offence of driving without insurance. The fact that he did not hold a private hire driver's licence invalidated his insurance.

Cllr Joyce Plummer, cabinet member for licensing at Hyndburn Council, said; “We take the safety of our travelling public very seriously and require the highest standards from the taxi drivers in Hyndburn at all times.”