A STING operation helped catch a Cwmbran man who was pretending to be a taxi driver, a court heard yesterday.

Brian Pike, 65, of Myndd Maen Road, West Pontnewydd, admitted faking it at Abergavenny magistrates court yesterday.

Earlier this year, posing as passengers, licensing officers from Torfaen county council discovered he was operating without a licence.

Chris Tindall, prosecuting on behalf of the council, said the officers asked for a lift to the Yew Tree Inn, Pontnewydd, paying with a £5 note which had been marked with a cross.

Pike took them to the pub where police were waiting for his car. "At first Mr Pike said the two passengers were his friends," said Mr Tindall. "When he discovered they were council officers and it was pointed out to him that the £5 could be identified to prove he had taken payment he said 'all right I agree you got me there'."

The court heard that a couple of years earlier, another taxi driver from the area reported Pike, who works as a delivery driver for a takeaway, believing he was operating a taxi without a licence.

Pike pleaded guilty to using a motor vehicle as a private hire vehicle without being registered, using the car as a taxi without being registered, driving the car without being a registered licence holder and driving the vehicle without the required insurance.

Sentencing was adjourned until October 25.