Fake taxi creep who terrified woman was given character reference by Liverpool councillor Cllr Christine Banks, who heads Liverpool council's licensing committee, wrote a glowing "testimonial" for an ex private hire driver who targeted a lone woman 05:05, 5 APR 2021 Former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Christine Banks A bogus taxi driver jailed for attacking a female passenger was given a character reference by a Liverpool councillor. Cllr Christine Banks provided a glowing "testimonial" for ex-private hire driver Joseph Prior, the ECHO can now reveal. But he went out late in Liverpool city centre in March 2019 to try and pick up illegal fares, when he targeted a "drunk" lone woman.