Three taxi drivers each received six points on their licences and fines after illegally picking up undercover Trafford Council officers on Old Trafford matchdays.
Trafford Council brought the prosecutions at Manchester Magistrates Court following offences before and after Manchester United home games against Burnley and Everton.
As each driver’s Hackney Carriage license was issued by Manchester City Council, they were not allowed to pick up in the borough of Trafford and therefore their journeys were uninsured.
In each case, undercover licensing enforcement officers saw the vehicles waiting with their ‘taxi’ signs lit up and asked to be taken to the city centre. As the journey began, they identified themselves and asked the driver to pull over.
Mr Ishtiaq Hussain Bibi, 47, of Tamar Drive, Manchester, pleaded guilty to illegally plying for hire and use of a motor vehicle without insurance on Thursday 25 June before the Burnley game.
The court heard Mr Bibi had offered to take undercover Council officers into the city centre for £10. He was fined £240, with a surcharge of £96 and £100 contribution to costs as well as six points on his driving licence.
Two more drivers were penalised for attempting to pick-up fares around the ground on the evening of Monday 24 November when United played Everton.
Mr Minas Tewolde, 58, of Verdun Road, Eccles, put his head in his hands and asked; “Why don’t you give me warning?”.
He was found guilty of illegally plying for hire, failing to wear his drivers badge and use of a motor vehicle without insurance and was given six points on his licence and fined £660. Mr Tewolde was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £264 and costs of £580.
Mr Erdan Shifa Mohammed, 50, of Gravenmoor Drive, Salford, who asked for £25 in cash for the 4.5 mile trip into the city centre, pleaded guilty to illegally plying for hire and use of a motor vehicle without insurance. He too received six points on his licence, was fined £400 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £160 as well as costs of £300.
Cllr Keleigh Glenton, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety and Civil Contingencies said:
“Only Hackney Carriages licensed by Trafford Council are permitted to pick up fares without a booking. These drivers committed the offence of illegally plying for hire and, in doing so, invalidated their insurance.
“Trafford’s Hackney Carriage drivers work hard to provide transport for those who need it in the borough. This type of behaviour puts public safety at risk and is illegal. Our Licensing Enforcement Team works to support drivers who follow the rules properly and to make sure passengers ride safely, with insurance in place.
“These cases highlight that the courts take a very dim view of this behaviour. On top of the financial penalties, the points added to drivers’ licenses will have a much more lasting impact on them.”