An Uber driver caught sexually assaulting a 19-year-old girl has been stripped of his private hire licence. Dawit Tessema, 46, attacked the teenager after picking her up in the city centre. The shocking incident happened in the Woodlands area on September 15, 2023.
Quick Action Follows Jail Sentence
Tessema was jailed for two years last week and added to the sex offenders’ register. Police Scotland swiftly flagged concerns about his fitness to keep driving for hire. They lodged a formal complaint with Glasgow’s licensing team on November 4.
His licence was immediately suspended the next day, with officials warning that letting him continue driving posed a “serious threat to public safety.”
Licence Granted Just Weeks Before Attack
Shockingly, Tessema had only been licensed as a private hire driver since July 26, 2023—less than two months before the assault. The city’s licensing and regulatory committee later revoked his licence completely after receiving Police Scotland’s statement following his conviction.
This case raises serious questions over driver vetting and public safety in the private hire industry.
