Taxi driver 'swore' when told to move for PM

Taxi driver 'swore' when told to move for PM
By Joanna Codd

A BOURNEMOUTH taxi driver who allegedly swore at a police officer when asked to move his car to make way for Prime Minister Gordon Brown has had his licence suspended for seven days.

PC Ian Curtis was on duty outside the Royal Bath Hotel during the Labour Party conference when cabbie Jonathan Watts drew up.

Mr Curtis told the council's licensing board the driver had ignored his signal to continue further down Bath Road: "I asked him not to stop the vehicle again in that area or I would report him. That's when he swore at me.

"My role was to prevent any vehicles from stopping due to the impending arrival of the Prime Minister's convoy.

"Some drivers were being very co-operative. Mr Watts was the only one that became abusive.

"For that language to be directed towards a police officer in uniform is unacceptable, especially while other members of the public were present."

Mr Watts was not at the hearing, but in a written statement, he said: "I went to what I believed to be the required drop zone as instructed by the police."

He said he was giving his passenger a receipt and change when the officer told him to move on.

"I didn't want to move the cab in case my passenger was about to alight. When asked to move on again barely seconds later, I replied: Please let me drop off'.

"To this the officer replied: I've got your number and I'm reporting you'."

He added: "The officer was obviously stressed out and not having a good day."

Panel chairman Cllr Stephen Chappell said: "We feel that the taxi driver concerned failed to behave in a civil and orderly fashion and failed to take notice of instruction from a police officer in uniform on a very important occasion."

Police can do nought wrong. Funny though, I might've done same.