Taxi driver whose car was written off in crash hand-painted another cab to look like it and swapped plates around

The black Toyota Auris owned by Amjad Khan was involved in a crash in December 2021 which left it likely to be beyond repair.

But by 27 October last year, what appeared to be the same vehicle, displaying the same registration number, was taken for inspection to Bradford Council’s Taxi Licensing Department.

Police officers were present at the inspection and they soon established that the vehicle’s identity markings did not match the colour. The car had been poorly painted to match the colour of the taxi involved in the collision.

Further enquiries revealed the owner of the registration number to be Khan, of Great Horton Road, Bradford, and that he had rented it out, along with the painted car, to an entirely innocent driver.

Appearing before Bradford Crown Court on Friday, Khan, who admitted two counts of fraud at a previous hearing, was sentenced to a 12-month community order. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs.

A Proceeds of Crime Act Confiscation Order for £1,400 was also made. It would result in a two-month prison sentence if not paid.

Speaking after the sentencing, Paul Jeffrey of the West Yorkshire Police Casualty Prevention Unit said: “West Yorkshire Police works closely with partner agencies to ensure vehicles being used for hire and reward are safe and comply with all registration requirements.

“Here, a different vehicle was presented for inspection bearing a false identity in that it had the same number plates as a car previously used by Khan as a taxi.

“Vehicle registrations are not interchangeable, and when detected the police will take action to address any offences and ensure vehicle safety is not compromised.

“This remains a priority in our efforts to prevent road casualties.”

Bradford Council confirmed that Khan’s private hire and taxi licences have since been suspended following a review, and the car involved has been seized.