An East Cambridgeshire taxi driver has had his licence to drive a taxi revoked on appeal after four incidents, which included narrowly missing a pedestrian and her dog.

Jerzy Masjanis was first brought before East Cambridgeshire District Council’s licensing (non-statutory) sub-committee in June 2021, following a number of complaints to the council from fare paying passengers. At this hearing, Mr Masjanis provided assurances to councillors he would “change his behaviour and make better decisions in the future.”

However, since that meeting, he had been involved in a further four incidents, which resulted in more complaints being made to the council. These involved narrowly missing a pedestrian and her dog when reversing from King’s Avenue into Allen Road in Ely on 26 November 2021. The pedestrian said if she had not shouted and waved at the driver, he would have hit her.

In November 2022, Mr Masjanis failed to assist a disabled passenger into his vehicle. The man who was using crutches and had a large bouquet of flowers, was forced to lean out of the vehicle in an attempt to shut the passenger door. 

In December 2023, Mr Masjanis failed to assist an elderly man who had to load his own suitcase into the boot of Masjanis’ dirty car. When the man got inside the car he said it was filthy and stank of garlic.

The same month Mr Masjanis also displayed unprofessional rude behaviour towards council employees in the council offices when collecting new vehicle licensing documents.

After listening to Mr Masjanis and others, councillors decided to revoke his licence, finding that the incidents detailed in the Licensing Officer’s report “demonstrated a history of non-compliance and a failure to amend behaviour despite being given repeated opportunities to do so”, and that there was “likely to be a significant risk to passenger safety if action was not taken.”

Mr Masjanis appealed the decision and the case went before Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 6 June.

After hearing evidence, magistrates’ found in favour of the council and agreed that Mr Masjanis’ joint hackney carriage and private hire driver licence should be revoked.

Deciding the appeal, the magistrates said: “We find there was reasonable cause to revoke the appellant’s licence. His reactions to questions about the four incidents, his complete lack of understanding of the code of good conduct and, even in his summary, the appellant did not accept that any of his actions were unacceptable, lead us to believe he is not a fit a proper person to hold a taxi licence. We therefore do not find the decision of the council was wrong and your appeal is not upheld.”

Mr Masjanis has a right to apply for leave to appeal this decision.