THE MUM of murdered Sian O’Callaghan has joined calls for taxi and minicab licensing laws to be tightened.

Sian was killed in 2011 by killer cab driver Christopher Halliwell, after he lured the 22-year-old into his car on a Swindon night out.

He held a minicab license from 2000 to 2011 – despite, according to police, having previous burglary convictions.

Now, Sian’s mum Elaine Pickford wants rules about the licensing of taxi and mini-cab drivers to be strengthened.

Together with Justin Tomlinson MP, she has joined a campaign by personal safety charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to bring in national minimum standards on taxi and private hire vehicles.

They want a mandatory criminal background check to be taken out before a license is granted by councils – and a review of the methods used by police to disclose drivers’ behaviour to licensing authorities. The campaign comes weeks after ministers announced that London black cab rapist John Worboys would be released, after serving eight years in prison.

Elaine said that it had taken her a “few years” to be able to speak out, following the shocking killing of daughter Sian.

Backing the campaign, the Swindon mum told the BBC: “It’s necessary. National regulations are required without a doubt, because these drivers are in a great position of trust.

“At the moment a driver for example can gain a license in shall we say a more lenient authority, but then operate in an authority that has tighter regulations. It’s just not across the board. And it should be.”

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust asked 316 councils for details of licensed drivers criminal record. At the 38 licensing authorities that gave details of drivers with convictions, 865 drivers had successfully applied for or renewed their license – despite their criminal past.

Rachel Griffin, chief executive of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, called the research “deeply troubling”: “The ambiguity currently surrounding what constitutes a ‘fit and proper’ person with regards to taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is unacceptable. Inadequate regulations can and in some cases have already led to passengers being victimised by drivers with a known history of unsafe behaviour and even criminal convictions.

“Despite this, local authorities are continuing to take unnecessary risks when granting and renewing taxi and private hire vehicle licences. This must stop.”

Swindon Borough Council was one of hundreds of licensing authorities that did not provide data about drivers’ convictions.

However, an earlier information request from the charity had established that murderer Christopher Halliwell had passed a criminal conviction check – with Swindon council renewing his private hire vehicle license annually from 2000 to 2011. Police told reporters during Halliwell’s trial that he had been convicted in the 1980s for burglary.

Swindon Borough Council said that Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks had been introduced over the last three years, with more than 600 drivers being put through the checks in March.

A spokesman said: “The Licensing Committee also introduced a new requirement in December 2017 for all drivers to sign up to the DBS update service at their next DBS check.

“This allows the Council to check any criminal record direct with the DBS on an annual basis. Failure to sign up to the DBS update service is likely to result in the licence being suspended.

“All convictions would be properly assessed by the Licensing Manager and, if necessary referred to the Licensing Sub Committee.

“In addition to these policies, we also work closely with Wiltshire Police to ensure we are aware of any indiscretions involving any licence holders.”

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson hosted the Suzy Lamplugh Trust campaign launch in the Houses of Parliament. Backing the campaign, he said: “When you get into a taxi you are putting the driver in a position of trust. You expect to be taken directly to your door safely, regardless of whatever time of day or night. The vast majority of drivers are law abiding citizens who do exactly that. However, there are occasions where that position of trust has been abused.”