Cabbie who refused blind passenger was scared of dog

Kirklees Magistrates' Court heard the woman had booked the driver in Leeds in January 2020

A private hire driver refused to take a blind passenger in his vehicle because he was scared of her assistance dog, a court was told.

Sher Gul from Bradford was booked to pick up the woman in Leeds but sped off, Kirklees Magistrates' Court heard.

Mr Gul, 59, of West Park Road, Girlington, explained his actions "were out of panic, fear and phobia".

He admitted breaching the 2010 Equality Act and was told to pay £215 in fines and costs.

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Mr Gul, a driver for Leeds-based Amber Cars, was booked by a "severely sight impaired" woman on 13 January 2020.

Derek Hallam, prosecuting, said: "She confirmed with the driver he was there to pick her up but he refused to allow her to enter the vehicle because of the dog.

"She tried to explain he had to take her but he simply drove away, leaving her at the side of the road."

The Equality Act 2010 states that taxi and minicab drivers must carry assistance dogs unless they have genuine health reasons not to.

Local authorities can supply drivers with an exemption certificate if they provide proof, although the court heard Mr Gul did not have a certificate.

Taxi or minicab drivers must take assistance dogs, unless they can prove a medical reason not to

Mr Gul said he was in "such a panic" when he saw the dog he had not realised the woman was visually impaired.

"I was anxious, I was going through all sorts of emotions and felt if I allowed the dog in the car I'd do something that'd put myself and my passenger at risk - my actions were out of panic, out of phobia, out of fear."

The driver said he had suffered feelings of "regret and guilt" since but he had not been aware that he needed a certificate to refuse a passenger with an assistance dog.

He said he contacted colleagues after he drove off and requested another vehicle for the job.

Sentencing Mr Gul, the magistrate told him there were mitigating factors in his case and "we accept that you are frightened of dogs".

He was advised to apply for the relevant medical exemption certificate.