A cabbie who refused to carry a guide dog and who told its blind owner to "take me to court" has been taken up on his offer - and fined £200 pounds for breaking disability laws.
Forty-nine-year-old Nader Rohbani-Eivazi was handed the fine by Cardiff magistrates after he refused to accept Janice Powers' Labrador, Wayne, at a taxi rank in the Cardiff Bay area of the city.
Ironically, Powers had been attending the launch of an equality and diversity initiative at the National Assembly buildings, the BBC reports, and was trying to get back to the station in time to make the final train home to Carmarthen, in west Wales.
She said: "It was late and we were cold and wanted to get home, but when approached the lead hackney carriage for a lift the driver just said: 'Four people but no dog'.
"We were flabbergasted, especially as he had disabled stickers on display.
"But when we pointed out that he would be breaking the law if he refused to take my guide dog he just said: 'Take me to court'."
Luckily, Powers - who was travelling with three other women - found another driver who was amenable to ferrying guide dogs, and the party made its train.
After she contacted Cardiff Council, the authority took enforcement action against Rohbani-Eivazi.
He was handed the fine, with costs of £415, for breaking the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
The action was supported by several blind charities, including RNIB Cymru, which works on behalf of the 100,000 people in Wales with serious sight loss.
Director Sarah Rochira said that the outcome provided "a clear message to people providing services - that they must treat people with respect and dignity".
