Police prosecutions against Jersey Lifts (FOI)

Request

A

How many times have charges relating to crimes committed against passengers been brought by the States of Jersey Police against drivers operating as an “illegal taxi” (aka Jersey Lifts)? 

B

How many times have these charges resulted in convictions?

C

How many times have charges been brought against registered taxi drivers in relation to crimes committed against their passengers? 

D

How many times have these charges resulted in convictions against taxi drivers?

E

How many times has the Government of Jersey received complaints or other feedback against taxi drivers for alleged wrongdoing by taxi drivers against their passengers? 

Please provide the data going back 10 years, by year.

Response

A and B

States of Jersey Police have brought no charges against drivers committing crimes against passengers whilst operating as Jersey Lifts.

C and D

In 2016, one individual was either charged or sanctioned at a parish hall enquiry. No further individuals have been prosecuted during the last ten years. 

E

The Government of Jersey’s systems are not configured in a way that will allow extraction of the details requested further back than three years.  A manual search of records would be required in order to obtain this information. 

It has been estimated that to provide the information requested would exceed the 12.5 hours allowed for Freedom of Information responses in accordance with Regulation 2 (1) of the Freedom of Information (Costs) (Jersey) Regulations 2014. Article 16 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has therefore been applied and this part of the request will not be processed further.

The table below shows the figures for the last three years. 

Please note, it is very difficult comparing the regulated with illegal taxi activity as the general public are more likely to comment and complain against a regulated or legal activity as opposed to that which is illegal. Therefore, any public safety concerns could or should be borne out of the knowledge that any such illegal activity comprises vehicles that are circulating that have not been through an annual check with drivers who have not undergone a Disclosure and Barring check (DBS) or medical check, carrying paying passengers who can be classed as vulnerable as they are often travelling alone with unchecked drivers. It is therefore not possible to draw comparisons between the regulated taxi industry and illegal taxi activity.

Article applied 

Article 16 A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive 

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations.