A private hire driver who accepted an unbooked fare outside Old Trafford has been ordered to pay £1,000 and given six penalty points.
Messenger Newspapers reports that the driver pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 2 October 2026 to illegally plying for hire and driving without proper insurance.
A £20 journey with a costly outcome
The case followed an undercover Trafford Council operation after Manchester United’s match against Brighton on 25 October 2025. The driver agreed to take licensing officers into Manchester city centre for £20, despite there being no booking.
Once the journey had started, the officers identified themselves and told him to stop.
The court imposed a £500 fine, a £200 surcharge and £300 in costs, alongside six points on his driving licence.
The reminder for match-day drivers
Trafford Council said only hackney carriages licensed by the borough can accept fares there without a booking. It said the illegal pick-up left this driver without valid insurance.
Busy stadium crowds do not change the distinction between booked private hire work and street-hail taxi services.
Source: Messenger Newspapers: report by Dan Dougherty, published 7 October 2026, reporting Trafford Council’s prosecution.