Cabbie Kamran Hussain’s behaviour is nothing short of appalling.

This is a man who got behind the wheel of his minicab while drunk – and to make matters worse, had two people in the car when he was stopped by police in Bradford.

His selfish and stupid actions put his own life at risk, together with the lives of other road users, pedestrians and, of course, his passengers.

There can be no excuses for what he did – whether or not the women in the cab were paying customers or, as he claims, friends.

After all, it is only by good fortune that no-one was injured or worse because of his reckless behaviour.

It is so easy to imagine how the outcome could have been different with people paying the ultimate price for his outrageous conduct.

Hussain has also brought shame on his profession. The vast majority of cabbies are aware that the public must be able to trust them and so maintain the highest standards at all times.

His behaviour is an insult to them and he has no place among their number.

It is only right and proper that he has been banned from driving – although if this had been for six years instead of three, he could have had no complaint.

Equally he can consider himself very lucky to be at liberty at all – for there would have been no outcry if he had been locked up.