The Taxi Diver who drove away from Southport Attack has lost his Taxi Licence

GARY Poland had picked up the 17 year old killer on his Taxi and took him to the Hart Space Dance Studio, in Southport, on the day of the attack, has had his Taxi Licence revoked.

Sefton Council condemned the decision after seeing the dash cam footage which was played at the public inquiry. The footage showed Poland driving away from the scene as screening children piled out of the building his customer had just entered, on:- 29 July 2026.

The Inquiry also heard Poland, a minute after leaving Hart Street had made a call, to a friend who worked nearby the venue, to ask if he had heard gunshots.

At the Inquiry heard Poland had said that on the day he had believed the killer, who used the name Simon while booking the taxi, had:- "just fucking shot everyone."

It's then reported that after he:- "fled the scene" he waited:- 50 minutes before calling:- 999, about the incident.

In a statement read to the Public Inquiry, Poland said:- "I consider that I should have called Police earlier. In hindsight, I wish I had done and it's something that I do think about every day, what I should have done and how this is my fault because I drove him there. I should have checked on the welfare of the children and helped. I thought there was a gunman shooting at people and I believed this to be the person who I had just been shouting at to pay me a fare and threatened to call the Police, so I did believe that I was in danger of being a target. I regret not helping the children. Their screams were harrowing and I can still hear them when I think back to that day."

When asked why he didn't help, in a statement to the Inquiry he said:- "This was terrifying. I was in a state of complete mortal terror and shock.""

As a result of The Council's Licensing Committee findings they found that Gary Poland:- "Did not meet the appropriate standards" when giving the reason for stripping his Taxi Licence.

Scottsdale Golf Commissions Landmark Tommy Fleetwood Mural Ahead of Major Championship

A major Tommy Fleetwood mural commissioned by Scottsdale Golf has been unveiled in Southport as part of celebrations surrounding this summe''s UK Major Golf Championship.

Honouring Southport's own Tommy Fleetwood, the large scale artwork has been created on the facade of:- Southport & Birkdale Sports Club by local muralist Paul Curtis, who has painted around:- 300 public pieces in the Region including:- Liverpool managers Jurgen Klopp and Bill Shankly, Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams and Diogo Jota.

Covering the:- 50m by 20m wall, the work celebrates Fleetwood's connection to the area and the broader significance of the Championship returning to the Region.

Work on the mural; which takes inspiration from a photo of the 35 year old competing in the:- 2023 Ryder Cup; began in mid-June with Curtis spending over a fortnight onsite to complete the installation.

Bradley Stubbs, Marketing Director at Scottsdale Golf, said:- "This is a project that means a great deal to us, not only because of the scale of the mural, but because of what it represents. Tommy's connection to Southport makes this a natural fit, and working with a local artist to bring that story to life adds another layer of authenticity. We wanted to create something lasting for the Town during a significant moment for golf in the Region, and this mural is a reflection of that ambition."

Once completed, the installation will stand as 1 of the most prominent pieces of golf related public artwork in the area, providing a lasting visual tribute during the tournament and beyond.

Curtis said:- "Creating a mural of Tommy Fleetwood ahead of 1 of golf's biggest weeks has been a real privilege. Tommy is someone the local community is incredibly proud of, and myself and Scottsdale Golf wanted the artwork to reflect both his achievements on the world stage and his strong connection to Southport. The scale of the wall gave us an opportunity to create something truly impactful that people can see and enjoy throughout and after the championship has left Town. It has been a demanding project, but seeing the piece come to life and knowing it celebrates both a local sporting hero and a major moment for the Region has made it incredibly rewarding."

The aim of the mural was to capture the emotional release that makes golf so compelling; the exhilaration of sinking a high pressure putt and the overwhelming sense of joy that follows.

Curtis added:- "The biggest challenge during the project was working in the intense heat. Alongside the constant need to stay hydrated and regularly apply sun cream, the temperatures also created practical problems with the paint. If I left my palette for even a few minutes, I would often return to find the paint had become sticky or, in some cases, had dried out completely. 1 of the most rewarding aspects of painting the mural was discovering just how much affection there is for Tommy within the local community. People regularly stopped to share stories of knowing him personally or to express how proud they are to see someone from Southport representing the Town on the world stage."

The project forms part of Scottsdale Golf's wider activation at:- Southport & Birkdale Sports Club with a full week takeover set to create a central hub for golf fans during the Championship. Running from Monday, 13 July 2026, through to:- Sunday, 19 July 2026, Scottsdale Golf will transform the venue into a:- 3,000.capacity destination designed to offer an alternative way to experience championship week outside of the course gates.

At the heart of the activation is a purpose-built 60ft putting challenge, developed in partnership with Easy Grass and RL Golf Construction.

The experience is complemented by a 2 bay Box Golf hitting zone, giving visitors the opportunity to engage directly with the game in a dynamic outdoor setting, and a free to book L.A.B Golf 40 minute custom fitting experience.

What are your thoughts on this news topic? Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter. Please do let us know as we love to hear your views....

News reports located on this page = 2.

The Taxi Diver who drove away from Southport Attack has lost his Taxi Licence

Scottsdale Golf Commissions Landmark Tommy Fleetwood Mural Ahead of Major Championship