Dublin Taxi Driver Convicted of Secretly Filming Tenant Still Operating Two Months Later

A Dublin taxi driver, Le Wang, convicted of secretly filming his student tenant in the shower and subsequently harassing her, is still driving a taxi more than two months after his conviction.

Reports show that Wang’s Small Public Service Vehicle (SPSV) license remains active on the ‘Driver App,’ a platform used by passengers to check their driver’s credentials.

Wang was convicted two months ago for secretly filming his student tenant while she showered and subsequently harassing her. Despite the conviction and a suspended sentence of 16 months handed down in May, Wang was spotted behind the wheel of his taxi as recently as Friday.

The National Private Hire and Taxi Association (NPHTA) had previously expressed its concern, stating that it found Wang’s continued holding of an SPSV license inappropriate. The issue of Wang’s ongoing employment as a taxi driver is particularly concerning given the recent sentencing of another taxi driver, Raymond Shorten, who was convicted of rape.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has called for the urgent implementation of reforms to the taxi licensing system in the wake of these incidents.

Currently, Gardaí, the licensing authority, have the power to revoke a taxi license if they deem the holder unsuitable, but Wang’s license has yet to be revoked.

Le Wang is speaking with Sunday World’s Patrick O’Connell.

Wang had previously stated that the status of his license was “under consideration,” yet evidence shows he is still actively working as a driver. Wang’s offences involved filming an international student in the shower on two occasions and attempting to do so a third time before being discovered. He was also found to have sent threatening messages to the student, demanding she move out and threatening her reputation if she reported the incidents.

Following the discovery, Wang’s wife admitted to finding multiple videos of the student on his phone and informed her of the situation.

Wang’s harassment continued for months after the initial incident, with numerous attempts to contact the student through various social media platforms before the harassment ceased in March 2023.

A psychological report presented in court described Wang as highly introverted, with a childhood marked by a lack of emotional expression, though the judge noted this was neither a mitigating nor aggravating factor in the case.

The continued operation of Wang’s taxi service underscores concerns about the effectiveness of current licensing regulations and the need for swift reform to protect the safety and welfare of passengers.