A TAXI driver has had his licence revoked after a sexual assault allegation was made against him.

The driver was questioned under caution after a woman reported she had been raped by him after being collected from a pub in Farnworth.

The victim later withdrew her complaint saying she wished ‘to get on with her life’ but confirmed that the incident had occurred.

Bolton Council’s licensing sub-committee met last week and withdrew the drivers licence on the basis it was “not satisfied that the driver is a fit and proper person to hold a licence”.

A complaint of rape was made against the driver in September, last year.

According to the minutes of the committee, “the victim asked the driver to take her to hospital. The driver did as requested but then is alleged to have forced his victim to perform oral sex, then force her to have sex on the rear seat of the vehicle.”

The victim was found by hospital staff and a police investigation identified the driver and he was interviewed under caution. The driver denied the offence of rape but admitted he had kissed the woman.

In November, the victim withdrew her complaint. The driver said he had picked up the woman and let her sit in the front, parked up and that she had kissed him and touched his penis. The driver did not report the matter or tell her to stop.

The report notes, “the sub-committee did not find this explanation to be credible”.

Police categorised the incident as a sexual offence and noted he admitted kissing her which was ‘unacceptable behaviour for a taxi driver’. As the woman was intoxicated and had health issues she was considered ‘vulnerable’ by the committee which considered the driver ‘took advantage of the passenger’.

The driver had been given guidance in September 2016 in relation to carrying lone passengers, advising they should be asked to sit in the back to protect both drivers and passengers.

The decision was taken at a closed meeting led by Cllr Madeline Murray.

The taxi driver was not named and was not present at the committee meeting.