Fighting Dumbarton taxi drivers hold on to licence A TAXI driver claimed he punched another cabbie because he was being “persecuted” after joining a rival company.
Dumbarton man John Neeson was sacked by Dumbarton and Alexandria TOA last year and later joined Wright’s Taxis.
However, the split has been bitter and Mr Neeson has been involved in confrontations with TOA drivers.
This culminated in a heated row between Mr Neeson and Brian Rainey, secretary of TOA, outside Alexandria CE Centre on June 17 at 10am.
Mr Neeson punched the man after claiming he was spat on and then shoved.
West Dunbartonshire Council’s licensing chiefs were considering suspending the pair over the incident and summoned them both to a committee hearing in Clydebank last Tuesday.
The committee heard how Mr Neeson had been parking in the rank at Morrisons supermarket in Dumbarton, which is used by TOA drivers, and Mr Rainey confronted him about this.
Mr Neeson explained why he lashed out, saying: “These people have pushed me to the edge over a long period of time since I was unjustly dismissed from their organisation.
“My language wasn’t very pretty as I asked him to go away and leave me alone.
“He told me where to go and spat through a half open window at me.
“I became very angry and stood face to face with him. There wasn’t any contact made until he pushed me.
“I did what I know best and it was to protect myself with one punch.
“He was then shouting, ‘I’m going to have you’. I’m not sure whether it meant he wants to physically harm me or wants me out of the taxi trade.
“But I believe he wants me out of the trade as I’m a thorn in their side because of what they did to me.”
Neeson told the committee he’s a married man with two kids and wants to get on with providing for them.
“I’ve had a shady past and I don’t want to go back there,” he said.
“But this individual pushed me to the edge that day and I cracked.
“Any person who gets spat on and pushed would crack.”
He added: “I crossed the line. I know I was wrong.
“I just want to get on with my job and be allowed to provide – but they are not allowing me to do that.”
Vale man Mr Rainey insists he did not go looking for a fight and was shocked at Mr Neeson’s violent reaction.
He said: “I had been approached by several drivers who work at the Morrisons rank about John Neeson.
“We contacted Mr Wright (taxi company boss) three times about John Neeson before and this was the fourth time.
“I knew it would be confrontational but I was just pointing out to him that if he didn’t stop using our rank we would park in theirs.
“I instigated the conversation, I didn’t instigate confrontation.
“I didn’t expect the reaction I got from him and I certainly didn’t expect to get punched.”
At a previous council committee TOA were criticised for not reporting incidents to the police and Councillor Jonathan McColl asked Mr Rainey if he had called cops this time.
He responded: “Yes. They asked if I wanted to take it further but I said no.”
Both men were allowed to continue operating as taxi drivers but will be sent a warning letter from the licensing committee.
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