Taxi driver loses appeal after licence revoked by Wolverhampton council over use of illegal ghost plates

Black Country Magistrates Court dismissed Aqeel Shakeel’s appeal against Wolverhampton Council’s decision after he was found with ghost plates on his Audi A4.

As well as losing his licence, he was also ordered to pay £1,923 legal costs to the council.

Shakeel, of Countess Street, Walsall, had attended the council’s offices on 20 May, 2025 for a vehicle inspection.

It was suspected the 3D licence plate on the vehicle was a ghost plate and the council’s inspector used a specialist digital night vision camera to confirm this.

Under the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001, it is illegal to alter any characters or apply or use material which makes the plate retroreflective.

As the characters’ infra-red signature are obscured, commonly referred to as ghost plates, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, such as those used in bus lane and speed cameras, are prevented from accurately recording a vehicle’s registration number.

Shakeel attended a council licence review hearing and claimed he had purchased the vehicle with the licence plates already installed and was unaware they were ghost plates.

It was established in the hearing the vehicle had previously failed an MOT test due to the licence plates, before subsequently passing it.

The council’s officer suspected Shakeel removed the plates to pass the follow up MOT, replacing them afterwards and his licence was revoked with immediate effect for dishonesty.

Shakeel appealed against this decision to Black Country Magistrates’ Court, however the court dismissed his appeal on January 16.

Following the outcome of the case Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for residents services at Wolverhampton Council, said: "We take our licensing responsibilities seriously and our officers take proactive action in Wolverhampton and across the country, wherever our drivers work, supporting and carrying out regular operations with partners to protect the public and ensure they travel in safety.

“Wolverhampton also leads the way as the first council investing in state-of-the-art technology including specialist cameras to deter and detect ghost plates.

“The council will always take robust action when drivers fail to meet the high standards expected of them.”

Councillor Zee Russell, Chair of the Council’s Regulatory Committee, said, “Public safety is our top priority. 

"The use of modified or misleading number plates poses a serious risk by concealing vehicle identity and undermining the integrity of the licensed trade.

“The council has completely banned all 3D licence plates so there is no excuse for taxi drivers found driving vehicles with them installed.

“We welcome government’s progress in legislating against ghost plates and encourage all licensing authorities to ban them as soon as possible."