Cabbie jailed for refusing smoker in 1986 fights his case

12 April 2012

A former taxi driver is fighting to clear his name 24 years after he was jailed for refusing a smoker a ride.

Richard Carless, 67, was locked up for seven days in July 1986 after turning down a pipe-smoking passenger as he feared it would aggravate his asthma.

The passenger was happy to wait for another cab, but the incident at Heathrow was seen by a traffic warden who called the police.

Mr Carless, of Basildon, was fined £20 under Heathrow bylaws by Uxbridge magistrates.

He refused to pay and the case went to Southwark crown court, where the fine was increased to £120. He again refused to pay and was jailed.

Mr Carless appealed to the European Court of Human Rights but his case was ruled inadmissible and he is now going to the Court of Appeal.

Mr Carless said: "I am in very poor health — I don't want to die with this hanging over me."

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