Taxi driver fined after refusing lift to blind man and his dog » Communities » 24dash.com

A Nottinghamshire taxi driver who claimed his religion prevented him from giving a lift to a blind man and his guide dog has been fined £300.

Broxtowe Borough Council said the incident happened on August 27 when Ali Raza Roshanmoniri, of Sandringham Drive, Bramcote, was asked for a lift by a blind man accompanied by his guide dog.

When the council asked why he refused to give the man a lift, Roshanmoniri said he suffered from an allergy to animal hair.

The taxi driver was fined £300 and ordered to pay £150 in costs after he admitted breaking the Disability Discrimination Act. He was also told to pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Roshanmoniri did not attend Nottingham Magistrates' Court but submitted his guilty plea by post, a statement from the council said.

The statement added: "Mr Roshanmoniri refused carriage to a blind passenger, who was accompanied by his guide dog.

"Mr Roshanmoniri initially advised the passenger that it was against his religion to carry dogs. The day following the incident, Mr Roshanmoniri submitted a letter from his GP to the council's licensing section advising that he suffers from an allergy to animal hair which prevents him from carrying dogs."

The council added Roshanmoniri has now applied for an exemption to carry guide dogs which is required by law.

Simon Smith, head of legal services at Broxtowe Borough Council, said: "The reason reportedly advanced at the time of the offence and factually a constituent part of the complaint was that of religion.

"Whilst this was not advanced as the driver's actual defence, the council are aware of the views of the Shariat Council on the use of guide dogs and did not regard religious grounds as being a satisfactory explanation to be given to the disabled person concerned.

"The council have no wish to cause a public stir and I would wish to repeat that the public good is served when people are prosecuted for an offence under the Disability Discrimination Act, which clearly caused a degree of distress to the disabled person and his carer."