Drink driver who failed to inform council of conviction has alcohol licence revoked

A drink driver who failed to inform Shropshire Council of his latest road ban has been stripped of his alcohol licence.

The council said Tawanda Shawn Melusi was no longer a suitable person to hold a personal licence as a result of his second conviction for drink driving last summer, which came after he drove the wrong way down a one-way road while over the limit.

Mr Melusi, from Oswestry, admitted the offence at Telford Magistrates’ Court in August and was banned from driving for three years, but did not notify the council despite being legally required to do so.

As a result, the council’s licensing sub-committee met in November to review Mr Melusi’s personal licence and concluded it should be revoked.

It is only the second time in the three years the council has revoked a personal alcohol licence.

The decision report, which has now been released following a freedom of information request, says Mr Melusi wrote to the council ahead of the hearing to apologise for failing to inform officers of his latest conviction, but did not make any further representations ahead of the hearing.

The report, addressed to Mr Melusi, says: “The licensing authority takes matters such as this very seriously.

“You have a history of drink driving, with your second conviction resulting in a three-year driving ban.

“You failed to notify the licensing authority of your second conviction.

“You were made aware, when you received your personal licence, that it is your responsibility to notify the licensing authority if you are convicted of a relevant offence.

“Drink driving is a very serious offence for someone holding a personal licence and acting as the designated premises supervisor in a licensed premises.”

The report says the committee, made up of councillors Dave Tremellen, Garry Burchett and Peter Broomhall, was concerned about Mr Melusi’s “serious breaches” of the Licensing Act 2003 and the council’s own licensing policy.

All licence holders are required to promote the ‘licensing objectives’ – including maintaining public safety and preventing crime and disorder – and the report says the committee was not satisfied that Mr Melusi “could not be relied upon” to do this effectively.

The report adds: “The sub-committee were specifically mindful of the fundamental purpose of the council’s policy, i.e. to establish responsibly managed and safe licensed premises.”

The committee considered imposing a lesser sanction, such as a suspension, but concluded that revocation was the only “appropriate and proportionate” outcome.

The decision means Mr Melusi can no longer hold a personal licence, but does not affect businesses associated with him which have their own premises licence.

Mr Melusi said, “in a world where you can be anything, be kind,” and declined to comment further.