A former Yellowknife cab driver stripped of his chauffeurSA国际影视传媒檚 permit after being convicted of assaulting a teenage passenger has lost his bid to get back on the road.

City of Yellowknife council members unanimously moved to dismiss Abdullahi AliSA国际影视传媒檚 appeal to have his permit reinstated during a special council meeting held Monday.

Ali, 47, had his chauffeurSA国际影视传媒檚 permit revoked by the citySA国际影视传媒檚 administration on Nov. 22 after being convicted of assaulting a male victim in his cab while on duty in April of last year.

A court-ordered ban prevents the publication of any information that could identify the victim.

Under the citySA国际影视传媒檚 Livery Licence by-law, chauffeurSA国际影视传媒檚 permits will be revoked if a driver is convicted of SA国际影视传媒渁ny offence while on duty as a taxi driver.SA国际影视传媒�

Ali was charged with sexual interference and sexual assault after the teenage victim told Ali had touched his face and inner thigh.

At trial, Ali testified that after driving the victim to his destination, the teen tried to pay with a debit card, but that the in-cab debit machine was out of paper. The cab driver of 20-plus years said the passenger turned aggressive and forcibly grabbed his debit card from him.

Ali said he felt SA国际影视传媒渟cared,SA国际影视传媒� and pushed the teen away.

Judge Christine Gagnon accepted beyond a reasonable doubt that Ali had touched the teenager, but ruled the intent of the touching could not be inferred definitively.

Gagnon was left with a reasonable doubt and acquitted Ali of sexual interference.

He was found not guilty of sexual assault, but guilty of assault, a lesser offence.

Gagnon handed Ali a suspended sentence on Nov. 13. He was sentenced to 12 months probation and was left with a criminal record.

GagnonSA国际影视传媒檚 ruling led the citySA国际影视传媒檚 administration to revoke AliSA国际影视传媒檚 permit.

Making his case to council Monday, Ali asked to have the revocation replaced with a one-year suspension. Ali, backed by more than a dozen supporters in council chambers, said he relied on his employment as a cab driver to support his family and SA国际影视传媒渟urvive.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 was scared. I meant no harm,SA国际影视传媒� said Ali, describing an SA国际影视传媒渦nfortunate incident,SA国际影视传媒� with a SA国际影视传媒渂ad passenger.SA国际影视传媒�

In a letter to the citySA国际影视传媒檚 administration leading up to his appeal, Ali wrote SA国际影视传媒�(Gagnon) had to find my guilty of simple assault based on my testimony about protecting myself by pushing the passenger.SA国际影视传媒�

But Keith Sulzer, a lawyer representing city administration, said thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not why Ali was convicted. Sulzer said Gagnon SA国际影视传媒渆xplicitly rejectedSA国际影视传媒� AliSA国际影视传媒檚 version of events.

He said Gagnon entered a conviction against Ali in the publicSA国际影视传媒檚 interest, noting her commentary about the need for passengers to feel safe when entering a cab in Yellowknife.

Gagnon, Sulzer said, had the choice of handing Ali a conditional discharge SA国际影视传媒� a sentence that wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 leave the driver with a criminal record SA国际影视传媒� but that she went with a suspended sentence, knowing Ali would be barred from driving a taxi on the streets of Yellowknife for good.

Council voted to uphold the revocation of AliSA国际影视传媒檚 chauffeur's permit after a brief in-camera session.

Ali declined to comment following the vote.