TfL Ref: FOI-0126-1718

Thank you for your email received by us on 13 April 2017 asking for information about non journey related sexual assaults data. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our Information Access Policy. I can confirm we hold some of the information you require. You asked for:

All information - stats and otherwise, available to TFL, relating to all forms of non "Journey Related" sexual assault by TFL licenced Private Hire Drivers and Licenced London Taxi Drivers over a 2 year period: 2015 to 2016.

If the information for 2016 is not yet available, then please supply the same for 2014 to 2015.

The table below provides a breakdown of the number of non journey related sexual offence allegations we have received from various police forces in the calendar year 2015 and 2016. The offences may have occurred in previous years or could relate to historical allegations but these are the periods we were notified of the offence.

Where the suspect is a TfL licensed taxi or private hire driver, and we are notified by the police of an allegation, we immediately assess whether there is a risk to public safety. We may immediately suspend the driver's licence prior to charge or conviction, if we believe the individual is not 'fit and proper' based on the initial evidence.

The driver will remain suspended until we receive the results of the police investigation and any court outcomes. In some cases, we may cancel a driver's licence immediately, irrespective of the results of the police investigation and subsequent court proceedings.

In 2015 and 2016, we were notified that 62 licensed drivers had come to police attention for a non journey related sexual offence. Of these:

• 10 were convicted and no longer hold an active taxi or private hire licence
  
  
• 13 have had their licences suspended while we await court outcomes.
  
  
• 39 of these allegations did not result in a charge and/or conviction. This could be because there was insufficient evidence to charge the driver, the driver was eliminated from the investigation, the crown prosecution service decided it was not in the public interest to prosecute or the court found them not guilty.  Of these, 20 drivers currently hold active licences. However, they were suspended during the police investigation and court proceedings. The remaining 19 drivers no longer hold an active licence.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Lee Hill

Senior FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London