Objection To Blind Woman’s “Dirty Dog” Lands Muslim Minicab Driver In Court

A Muslim minicab driver refused to take a blind woman with her guide dog because of religious objections. In Islam, dogs are regarded as being “unclean” in the same way that pigs are. But his refusal has led to his being convicted under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Bernie Reddington, 37, was furious when London taxi driver Basir Miah refused to take her and her guide dog Orla in his private hire vehicle. Mrs Reddington, from Norwich, along with her son Christopher, 13, who is also blind, attended a hospital appointment at Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London last November.

Taxi driver Basir Miah arrived in his cab to collect Mrs Reddington to take her to Liverpool Street station, but when he saw her guide dog, he said: “No dogs”. After ignoring Mrs Reddington’s insistence that his refusal to take the dog was illegal, Miah left the group with a hospital receptionist. This week, at London’s Horseferry Road Magistrates’ Court, he admitted refusing to carry out a booking made by a disabled person on the grounds that the disabled person was accompanied by her assistance dog. He was fined £150 and agreed to pay £250 compensation.

Mrs Reddington said: “I’m really pleased about the result. The experience made me feel sub-human and awful. I was humiliated. If this can stop something like that happening to anyone else then it will be worthwhile. I really hope this sends out a message to all taxi drivers to think again before they decide to break the law. I hope this benefits other blind and partially sighted people who have guide dogs.”

Jane Vernon, Royal National Institute of the Blind legal officer, said: “We are delighted and welcome this result. As far as we know this is the first time a mini-cab driver has been convicted. I hope that this conviction sends out a message to drivers that they will not get away with this form of discrimination.”

Thanking the Public Carriage Office and Transport for London, Ms Vernon added: “Blind and partially sighted people, more so than many other disabled people, depend on taxis. We would urge other licensing authorities to take the complaints of guide dog owners more seriously and pursue appropriate penalties against taxi drivers and firms.” Taxi drivers can refuse to take a guide dog if they have a medical exception (such as an allergy), but RNIB believes many taxi drivers have been flouting the law, which was introduced in 2003.

Keith Porteous Wood of the National Secular Society, said: “The clash between religious rights and the human rights of other people will become increasingly an issue as the government tries to include all forms of discrimination under the same umbrella. Now we see that it is not only gay people who are coming into conflict with the demands of religious people who are insisting on special privileges. Fortunately, in this instance, disability seems to trump religion, but it is not so clear cut in other areas of discrimination. In the regulations on discrimination in the provision of goods and services, religious groups are demanding exemptions that would permit them to continue discriminating against homosexuals. The NSS has opposed this in its submission on the topic.”