Taxi Driver Online

This piece reads like the applicant has had a temporary licence for five years, but suspect he's been granted a temporary licence more recently until he has day in court.

Former professional boxer to wait on taxi licence

http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/news/161 ... i_licence/

A FORMER professional boxer will have to wait until May to find out whether he will be granted a full taxi or private hire car driver’s licence.

Gary McArthur, of Onslow Road in Drumry, currently holds a temporary licence and was interviewed by West Dunbartonshire Council’s licensing committee on Wednesday, April 18.

The former British Masters lightweight champion boxer told the committee: “In the time I have been taxiing, which has now been five years, I haven’t had an issue with customers. I go above and beyond for them.”

Mr McArthur said he wanted a full licence because it was his desire to learn an “honest living”.

He added: “There’s no worse feeling in the world than being unemployed and not being able to provide for your family.”

“I’m just looking to get out and make an honest living.”

Mr McArthur has an outstanding matter with the court next month and Councillor Jonathan McColl, who chaired the meeting in Cllr Jim Finn’s absence, suggested continuing the matter until the committee’s next meeting on May 16.

The committee agreed.

But this piece from 2013 perhaps makes it all seem a bit clearer

Former boxer granted taxi licence



Gary McArthur’s application was granted by West Dunbartonshire Council’s licensing committee last week despite the Clydebank fighter’s criminal background, which also included defrauding a Bankie taxi driver by failing to pay his fare.

During a short hearing at the council’s Garshake Road headquarters, the committee was told about McArthur’s previous convictions which included an attack on a car belonging to the former Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond.

The one-time boxing champ was convicted of smashing up Diamond’s £42,000 BMW X6 in October 2009 after discovering that the footballer, who now plays for English side Burton Albion, was in a relationship with his former girlfriend Nadine Hardie.

After a trial at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, McArthur was convicted of attacking the car outside Ms Hardie’s house, and causing £8,000 of damage.

He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay Diamond £1,000 compensation.

The boxer was originally charged with causing a breach of the peace, sending a threatening text message, carrying a weapon and causing reckless damage.

However, he was cleared of breach of the peace and of sending a text threatening to “break Diamond’s legs”.

Finding McArthur guilty of the vandalism, Sheriff David Hall told McArthur he had committed a “premeditated” crime.

It also emerged during last week’s hearing that McArthur, of Onslow Road, Drumry, was also fined £50 in June 2002 when he failed to pay a taxi fare in Clydebank.

Inspector Colin Cooper told the committee that McArthur was also convicted of assault to severe injury after he smashed a bottle over the head of a steward in a Clydebank nightclub on July 20, 2003.

Stating his case to the committee, McArthur admitted his record did sound “quite bad” and he acknowledged that he had served time in prison for the nightclub assault.

However, the 31-year-old said: “It doesn’t sound like the person who is sitting here today.

“I could tell you a lot about all the positive things that I have done for the community, like bringing sporting achievements back to Clydebank.” He highlighted the work he had done for charity and helping his local boxing club on a voluntary basis.

He said he had a 19-month-old child that he had to provide for so rather than being unemployed he wanted the opportunity to work.

Cllr Jonathan McColl commented on the serious nature of the boxer’s previous crimes and asked him what had changed that would convince the committee to grant the licence.

McArthur replied: “I have got a responsibility to be a good father and provide for my family and that’s my main goal in life. That’s what’s changed.” Provost Douglas McAllister spoke about his personal experience of the charitable work the boxer had done in the community.

He argued in favour of giving him the chance to establish another career now that his time as a pro boxer was over.

The committee unanimously agreed to grant the licence for a period of one year.