• Rajan Anwar found guilty of failing to honor reservation made by disabled person.
• 52 was given a £288 fine and ordered to contribute £500 towards the costs.
• Taxi driver Anwar Anwar Ahmed refused to take a guide dog with him.

A taxi driver who declined to pick up a blind couple because they had their service dogs with them was fined in England.

In Arnold, Nottinghamshire, Gavin and Mel Griffiths were waiting for the taxi when they said it rushed off after spotting the dogs.

In July 2021, Rajan Anwar was found guilty of failing to honor a reservation made by a person with a disability because of the presence of an assistance dog.

At Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday, he was given a £288 fine.

According to a judge, Anwar’s failure to honor the reservation was caused by the presence of the guide dogs, not a flat tire as he had claimed.

The 52-year-old, of Newquay Avenue, Nottingham, was also ordered to contribute £500 towards the costs of the prosecution as well as pay a victim surcharge of £34 and £100 in compensation to each victim.

When they were left stranded, Mr. Griffiths claimed that he was waiting at Nottingham railway station with his wife Mel, 57, and their two guide dogs Utah and Elsa to take a train to visit family in the North East.

The 49-year-old claimed he was using the Uber app to track the taxi’s location when he heard the electric vehicle arrive.

Mr Griffiths said he and his wife would use their compensation money towards the purchase of a bodyworn camera to collect evidence in any future cases.

“The problem we face is having any evidence of what has happened,” he said. “You have to do a lot to prove your case, people say ‘how do you know because you can’t see?'”

Councilor David Ellis, from Gedling Borough Council, which brought the case to court, said: “We are pleased with the court’s decision to hold Mar Anwar accountable for his actions.

“This case serves as a reminder that discrimination against disabled individuals and their assistance animals is illegal and will not be tolerated.”

Gedling Borough Council and Nottingham City Council both said that they were evaluating Anwar’s license in light of the incident.

Neghat Khan, the city council’s portfolio holder for neighborhoods, safety and inclusion, said: “As the driver is licensed by the city council and has been convicted of this offence, the taxi licensing service will be reviewing the license to carefully consider what proportionate action is deemed appropriate.”

An Uber spokesperson added: “It is totally unacceptable for drivers to refuse to take a guide dog.

“We deeply apologies for the experiences described. Licensed private hire drivers must carry service animals in their vehicle – we highlight this obligation to all drivers before they start using the Uber app and often send reminders.”

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