'Blind Dave' wins legal bid after dog barred

Charity marathon hero 'Blind Dave' Heeley has won a landmark legal victory after his guide dog Wicksie was barred from a taxi.

Taxi driver Wali Khan, of Lewisham Road in Smethwick, pleaded guilty to refusing to carry a guide dog in a taxi under the Equalities Act, when he appeared at Warley Magistrates Court.

The charge related to October 7 last year, a week after the Equalities Act came into force, when Dave ordered a taxi to collect him from Great Bridge Library, in Tipton.

Khan was ordered to pay £50 in compensation, a £100 fine and £500 in costs after being taken to court by Sandwell Council's taxi licensing department on Monday.

It is is believed to be the first prosecution of its kind under new legislation.

The court heard the driver had said "No dogs mate, no dogs in the car", even though Dave and a library worker told him Wicksie was a trained guide dog. Wicksie was also wearing a harness and fluorescent jacket. In interview, Khan said he was allergic to dogs and was scared of them after being attacked when he was aged 12.

He said he had been a private hire driver for about two years and accepted he did not have a medical exemption certificate. Khan, who was working for private hire firm XL in Wednesbury at the time, said he had offered to take Dave once he was told by the taxi firm base that Dave was telling the truth and that Wicksie was a guide dog.

Speaking after the case, 53-year-old Dave, of Oak Road in West Bromwich, said: "I think it was important to take this case to court. It is a victory for all other blind, deaf and physically disabled people.

Marc Rowley, owner of XL, today said Khan no longer worked at the firm. He added: "We do a lot of business for people with visual impairments and this was an isolated incident which upset everyone here at XL."