Glasgow licensing committee refuses private hire application following criminal conviction

Glasgow City Council’s licensing committee has rejected an application for a private hire driver’s licence submitted by Umar Nasir, following an objection from Police Scotland. The decision was based on Nasir’s prior conviction under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

According to police testimony, the conviction stemmed from an October 2020 incident in which a member of the public was defrauded of £9,900. Investigators found that £5,000 of the total had been transferred into Nasir’s bank account and subsequently used to purchase currency at multiple locations across Glasgow.

Nasir stated that he had lost his wallet at the time and was unaware of how the funds entered his account or were spent. He claimed he did not notice the transaction until a month later, at which point his bank closed the account and declined to provide further details.

The committee, chaired by Councillor Alex Wilson (SNP), questioned the plausibility of Nasir’s account and noted that he had been found guilty in court. Nasir was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work and a six-month restriction of liberty order.

During the hearing, Nasir said the incident occurred over five years ago and that he was now married with a child. He expressed difficulty securing employment due to his criminal record and hoped to work as a private hire driver to support his family.

The committee ultimately refused the application, citing public safety and the integrity of the licensing process.