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Councillors in taxi arrest

Two senior Wolverhampton Tory councillors have been arrested on suspicion of robbery after an alleged dispute with a taxi driver. Councillors Carl Husted and Ian Bisbey were held by police following an early morning disturbance in Pendeford after a night in the city centre.

Councillor Husted, who has represented the Bushbury North ward since last year, is vice-chairman of Wolverhampton City Council’s licensing sub-committee. He oversees the granting of licences to taxi drivers and the setting of fares.

Today he answered the door of his semi-detached bungalow in Stowheath Lane wearing a replica England football shirt and shorts. He said he had no comment to make about the weekend’s arrest. Councillor Bisbey lives at Eastney Crescent, Pendeford, where the alleged incident happened.

The Tory was elected to serve the Oxley ward in 2007 and is chairman of the safer communities scrutiny panel. He was today unavailable for comment. The politicians and a third man, who is not thought to be a councillor, were detained by officers from Bilston Street police station before being released on bail pending an investigation.

Today Ch Insp Mark Payne, head of West Midlands Police press office, confirmed three men had been arrested on suspicion of robbery. He said: “At 3.56am on Saturday officers from Bilston Street police station were called to deal with a taxi dispute in the Pendeford area of Wolverhampton.

“Upon arrival three men who had got into the taxi after they had been out in Wolverhampton city centre were arrested. All three have been bailed pending further inquiries.”