Sadiq Khan’s car tax conviction is officially on its way out
A conviction against London Mayor Sadiq Khan over an unlicensed 24-year-old Nissan Micra is set to be withdrawn, after the DVLA confirmed it will drop the case.
The 55-year-old mayor was convicted last month after being prosecuted for failing to ensure the car was taxed. However, court documents later revealed that the Micra did not actually belong to Khan.
The paperwork also showed that letters concerning the unpaid tax had been sent to Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in east London, adding another unusual twist to the case.
Khan had been found guilty of keeping an unlicensed vehicle, but the DVLA has now said the criminal conviction will be withdrawn.
How Sadiq Khan ended up convicted over a Micra
"This is a scam, which is a crime," a spokesperson for the mayor said. "It's not the first time the mayor has been victim of a scam involving people falsely stating that Sadiq is the owner of a vehicle."
The original conviction was handed down at a private Single Justice Procedure hearing in Herefordshire, where a magistrate dealt with the case without Khan being present. He was ordered to pay a £220 fine, along with £85 in costs and the outstanding £35.84 tax bill.
The DVLA has said the conviction will formally be withdrawn at Hereford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, while it investigates how Khan’s details came to be falsely linked to the vehicle.
The blue Nissan Micra, which was first registered in 2002, had been untaxed since September last year and was spotted on the road without tax on 24 January.
Government records listed Khan’s name and date of birth against the car, but when officials sent a letter asking the registered owner to confirm their identity, it went to the wrong address and received no response.
The mayor has previously been caught up in similar vehicle-related protests.
After he expanded London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, some angry motorists threatened to register their cars in Khan’s name, potentially leaving him with the £12.50 daily charge. I
t caps a rough run for the capital, after 1,500 London bus drivers walked out over 40C cabs, while Raheem Sterling was charged with dangerous driving.
