Cabbie suspended for ripping off Beyoncé fans

GETTY

The fans were heading to a concert by American pop star Beyoncé

Dahrmindar Singh is banned from operating for three months after licensing chiefs upheld the findings of an investigation into over-charging passengers heading to a concert by American pop star Beyoncé.

Singh was also penalised for cramming eight customers – two above the legal limit – into his cab.

Councillors heard he picked the group en route to the concert at Hampden Park in Glasgow city centre last July and asked for £80 up front.

Related articles

• Taxi driver gets clocked for speeding FOURTEEN times in two months
• 'Idiot' taxi driver slammed after intentionally blocking ambulance

GETTY

The group were told to leave the taxi a mile from Hampden

The taxi driver could clearly see how desperate we were to get to the concert on time

Unnamed witness

After agreeing to pay for the trip to the stadium, the group were then told to leave the taxi a mile from Hampden, as Singh claimed he could go no further despite other cabs completing the trip. The complaint was investigated by the council with a witness statement read during the hearing.

The unnamed witness claimed: “We asked how the fare was so expensive and he couldn’t give us an explanation. Luckily, we had the money to pay it or we would have been left in Glasgow, lost and in a vulnerable situation.

“The taxi driver could clearly see how desperate we were to get to the concert on time and took full advantage of that. I do not believe we were the first people to be charged such a ridiculous price and certainly won’t be the last if this driver continues to over-charge customers.”

GETTY

Singh claimed he had charged them just £11.20 and was paid £18 including a tip

Singh claimed he had charged them just £11.20 and was paid £18, including a tip. He also disputed that there were eight passengers. He stated that if there were more than six the others had entered the vehicle without him noticing. In his statement to council investigators, he also accused the group of being rowdy, complaining and referring to him as Taliban on a number of occasions.

The committee heard that when seven witness statements were put to him, he stated: “It’s a load of lies and false allegations. I took them by meter and they gave me a tip.”

Beyonce in pictures Fri, February 3, 2017

A look inside the crazy life of Beyonce.

1 of 76

Beyonce strips naked to showcase her baby bump in candid new snaps

Licensing committee chair Councillor Frank Docherty said: “This was a deliberate attempt by the taxi driver to exploit people desperate to get to a concert on time.

“By overloading his cab, the driver also put passenger safety at risk, and people who use taxis in Glasgow have a right to expect higher standards than this.

“The committee will always take action against those who fail to meet the standards expected of them.”

Related articles

• Turkish taxi driver ‘brutally raped drunk female passenger'
• British woman 'RAPED and held hostage by taxi driver for 13 years'
• Crazed woman 'launched sick attack on Muslim cab driver over £7 fare'