Sefton Council Revokes Taxi Driver Gary Poland's Licence After Southport Attack Delay
Gary Poland, a taxi driver, has had his licence revoked by Sefton Council's licensing sub-committee after it emerged he did not contact 999 for nearly an hour following the Southport attack. The incident, which saw three women injured outside the Lakeside Café on 13 November 2023, involved Mr Poland driving away from the scene after hearing children screaming.
The sub-committee heard that Mr Poland, a licensed private hire driver with Sefton Council, collected a fare from his home in Southport shortly after the attack. Despite witnessing the immediate aftermath and hearing distressed children, he proceeded to drop off his passenger at a care home in Formby before returning home. It was only upon his arrival back at his residence that he made a non-emergency call to 101, some 50 minutes after the initial events.
During the hearing, Mr Poland stated he had been in 'shock' and believed others would have already alerted emergency services. He contested the revocation, arguing it would result in the loss of his livelihood. However, the sub-committee deemed his actions – specifically the delay in contacting emergency services and driving away from a serious incident – a breach of his licensing conditions, which require drivers to act with 'due regard for public safety'.
Sefton Council confirmed the decision to revoke Mr Poland's licence was effective immediately. The council emphasised that licensed drivers are expected to uphold a high standard of conduct and public responsibility, particularly in emergency situations. This incident underscores the stringent expectations placed upon those holding public service licences.
