HYNDBURN Council bosses today defended their licensing policies after a convicted sex offender was found to be driving special needs children around the Great Harwood area.

Philip King, 48, appeared before Blackburn magistrates last week where he was charged with a variety of driving offences.

The court heard that King had lied his way into a number of jobs, one of which included driving special needs children while employed for Accrington private hire firm CB Radio Cars.

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said it was "outrageous" and both Lancashire County Council and Hyndburn Council launched inquiries.

But today Hyndburn Council bosses insisted King, of Shuttle Close, Accrington, had never driven a hackney car or private hire vehicle and reassured users of their safety.

Assistant head of environmental health John Davey said King only ever drove a large minibus or small coach for CB Radio Cars, neither of which require licensing by Hyndburn Council but, as children were involved, is was the responsibility of Lancashire County Council.

The county council has vowed to take another look at is policies and has reprimanded CB Radio Cars for not telling the relevant department King had been employed.

King, 48, pleaded guilty to three charges of obtaining a pecuniary advantage and two of driving while disqualified. The court heard he had lied his way into a variety of driving jobs and had not declared his previous sex offences on applications forms.

He will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court at a later date.

Mr Davey today said no driver would be able to drive Hackney or private hire cars without rigorous checks with the Criminal Records Bureau and a driving licence history check with the DVLA.

Mr Davey said: "Once those checks have been carried out, if anything is revealed the applicants are interviewed by the licensing officer and a senior officer of the council. If there were any sex offences, or if the applicant had a poor driving record then the application would be refused."