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LETTERS: Taxi drivers need to be protected from claims 22/05/2008
In recent weeks there have been two cases where taxi drivers in Peterborough have been acquitted of sexual offences after being falsely accused.
In recent weeks there have been two cases where taxi drivers in Peterborough have been acquitted of sexual offences after being falsely accused.While attempted rape and sexual assault are heinous crimes, and not to be trivialised, on any account, by anyone, one cannot help but feel sorry for the two taxi drivers, who, in doing their day-to-day work, have had to suffer a terrible ordeal.
They have had to endure regular media coverage with photographs along with the stigma that goes with this type of accusation.
Add to this the pressure put on their family lives and the damage to reputations in their respective communities and among friends.
Being found not guilty by a jury is a vindication of their innocence, but how do they start to undo the damage that has been done?
The question that puzzles me, and many others, is that, if these men were not guilty, then what of their accusers?
Are they not guilty of fabrication, perjury and/or wasting police, courts' and taxpayers' time and money?
Their identities were protected throughout the trial, and they will simply pick up and carry on.
Maybe if those who think it is a big joke to shout rape in order to get away with not paying a cab fare, or to gettheir own back, had their faces appearing in the papers after a trial, because they were liars, then maybe others might think twice about doing the same thing.
Taxi drivers – particularly those working in the night economy – have a difficult time at best dealing with regular abuse and threats of violence.
However, for many of these hard-working family men there is nothing worse than this type of allegation, which is so easy to make.
Those of us working in the night economy in the city are only too aware that there are risks dealing with drunk people and, in particular, of the care that has to be taken by male members of staff when dealing with females, particularly in a one-to-one scenario.
Clearly, this is something that taxi drivers have fallen foul of, and if the situation continues, then who would blame taxi drivers if they chose not to accept certain bookings at night, or to go to certain parts of the city?
To my knowledge, taxi drivers – both private hire and Hackney carriage – are licensed, and so their names, addresses, etc are all held on file centrally at the city council offices.
In trying to do a job of work, they are often placed in difficult situations and have too much at stake.
Unfortuantely, the same cannot be said for someone who, at a whim, cries rape and then just walks away from the wreckage, having devastated other people's lives and reputations.
As someone who has first- hand experience of the night economy, I believe that taxi drivers do need more protection.
It isn't something that should be required, but the only option maybe the introduction of a cost-effective in-car CCTV, or sound recording system, which might help prevent similar situations in the future.
Del Singh
Chairman
Peterborough CentreSafe,
Park Road,
Peterborough
Medical marvels
Through the Evening Telegraph, I should like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to Peterborough District Hospital for providing me with first-class treatment and nursing during my sudden and life-threatening illness last week.
The hard-pressed doctors, nurses, auxiliaries and all the medical team were wonderful.
The NHS is always under scrutiny and often criticised, but in Peterborough we are very lucky to have such an admirably-run hospital.
Norman Dabell
Broadway,
Crowland,
near Peterborough
RAF move harmed city
With regard to the report in the Evening Telegraph on May 20 "RAF uniform ban based on just three cases", your readers may have been led to believe that the Base Commander at RAF Wittering consulted local MPs following her gross over-reaction and misguided decision to ban the wearing of uniforms by service personnel in Peterborough – on the basis of just three unconnected alleged criminal incidents 18 months ago.
I cannot speak for other local MPs or the ex-mayor, but Group Captain Atherton has certainly never extended me, as the Member of Parliament for Peterborough, the courtesy of speaking to me, writing to me or in any other way communicating with me to explain her calamitous decision, which caused the good name of the city and its residents to be traduced and ridiculed by national and international media, damaged community relations and unfairly portrayed city people as unpatriotic and uncivilised.
A sneering reference to "the chavs of Peterborough" was one description in a Sunday newspaper during this awful episode.
Regrettably, her behaviour was quite extraordinary, as is the fact that she has never even considered the option of apologising for besmirching our city's good name.
Stewart Jackson MP
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