A taxi driver refused to allow a blind couple and their guide dog into his cab because the animal offended his Muslim faith.
Abandi Jamal Kassim told Charles Bloch and Jessica Graham that he would not drive them because they were accompanied by the dog, Carlo.
The incident occurred when Mr Bloch, a 22-year-old student at Leicester De Montfort University, and his partner Miss Graham, 21, booked a ride with ADT taxis in Leicester, in the East Midlands, England.
The couple were both born with a visual impairment and are registered blind.
When Kassim arrived to collect them from an address in the city on July 1 last year, he would not allow the working dog into his cab. Refusing the fare, he said: “Me, I do not take the dog. It’s a choice for me. For me, it’s about my religion.”
Footage of the incident, which ended with Kassim driving off and leaving the pair stranded at the roadside, was captured by Miss Graham on her mobile phone and later shared on social media.
Kassim, who is 43, was prosecuted by Leicester County Council. He admitted a breach of the Equality Act 2010 and was yesterday ordered to pay a total of £590 ($750) by Leicester Magistrates’ court.
John Moss, prosecuting, said: “You refused to carry out a booking that had been made by a disabled person and the reason you gave was because they were accompanied by a dog. That is an offence under the Equality Act.”
Kassim represented himself in court. He said he had been a licensed private hire taxi driver in Leicester since October 2012. He told the court he was “unaware” of the law at the time and has an otherwise unblemished record as a taxi driver.
He claimed his reason for refusing the fare was he was “scared of dogs”, having been the victim of an attack in the past which has left him with physical and emotional scars.
Kassim apologised to Mr Bloch and Miss Graham through the court.
