Consequences For The Little People

The taxi driver who dropped Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana off at a children's dance class has been stripped of his licence...'The council found he did not meet the appropriate standards.'

What are the ‘appropriate standards’ for Taxi drivers encountering murdererous savages? Do they have any? Isn't it just up to normal human morality?

Chris Walker, director of serious injury at law firm Bond Turner, has now said the three bereaved families he represented 'welcome the decision' to revoke Mr Poland's licence 'as a necessary step towards securing individual accountability for those whose actions fell below the standards the public should expect'.

Well, I suppose when you can’t get to the police or social services, you have to settle for the people who are only tangentially responsible. Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Poland, is a craven coward. He should hand back his Man Card immediately, never mind his Taxi license.

The inquiry had heard that Mr Poland, who worked for One Call Taxis, picked up Rudakubana from his home, in Banks, a village around five miles from the seaside town, at 11.31am.

Mr Poland, who has been a cab driver for 27 years, said Rudakubana barely spoke during the 14–minute journey but that gave him no cause for concern. However, when the taxi pulled up outside the dance studio, Rudakubana got out without paying.Mr Poland said he remonstrated with him and threatened to call the police, but Rudakubana simply walked away and up the stairs into the studio.

Even if he had called the police, they would have arrived too late to do anything 

Mr Poland said: 'I was waiting for my money. I thought I would give him a minute or two, which I did, then I heard all the screams.' He claimed that he went into 'panic mode' after hearing what he thought was gun shots and drove off.Despite this, Mr Poland admitted he did not stop or call police, but instead called his best friend, Julian Medlock, who worked in the garage and spray shop next to the dance studio, because he was worried for his safety.

He’s obviously been advised to plead victim status in order to deflect any criticism. 

Mr Poland said he had suffered psychological problems since the attack and no longer picked up fares he didn't know. 'I can't sleep at night,' he said. 'I shut my eyes and I see his face, it's there all the time in my head.'

Mr Poland claimed at the inquiry he accepted his next job, which came through to him via an App on his mobile phone soon afterwards, 'by accident'. 'I took the job, I don't know why,' he said. 'My head wasn't there, I didn't really know what I was doing.'

If it’s true that he’s taken money from a GoFundMe set up for him, then I have no sympathy whatsoever. But I recognise that the people most at fault here will not suffer any punishment whatsoever. And they bear far, far more responibility that this patheric excuse for a man...