Hove taxi driver fined for smoking in cab

A Brighton and Hove taxi driver has been fined for smoking in his cab.

Lee Blackmore, 47, of Sherbourne Road, in Hangleton, has been fined £600 and ordered to pay £350 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Blackmore was found guilty of three charges of smoking in a smoke-free place at Eastbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday (15 May).

Brighton and Hove City Council solicitor Len Batten, prosecuting, told the court that Blackmore had a history of smoking in taxis and had ignored verbal warnings and a fixed penalty fine.

Smoking in a cab is an offence under section 5 of the Health Act 2006.

The council’s head of regulatory services Tim Nichols said: “We are pleased that the magistrates clearly supported our decision to prosecute Mr Blackmore and hope that the fine imposed will act as a warning to others.”