Taxi drivers removed from road over rape and attempted murder allegations Licensing chiefs ban string of taxi and private hire drivers from road after hearing attempted murder and rape allegations A TAXI driver accused of the attempted murder of a pedestrian by driving over them and a cabbie facing charges of raping a passenger after a fare dispute have been removed from the road.
The pair were amongst four in the taxi and private hire trade banned by the authorities within less than an hour after Police Scotland brought to light a string of serious criminal allegations.
Another driver was ordered in front of licensing officials after a police complaint that he has been charged with stalking, which includes allegation of rape.
The fourth driver had his licence removed on the back of accusations of driving over the legs of a passenger following a dispute.
The series of bans by licensing chiefs in Glasgow comes just days after a taxi driver operating in the city was jailed for attempting to coerce two females to urinate in the back of his cab.
Robert Smith, who had his licence removed over 12 months ago, was sentenced to more than a year at the city's Sheriff Court.
In the first case before the licensing committee on Thursday, Police Scotland informed the councillors on the panel that a 68-year-old driver had become embroiled in an argument with a pedestrian who walked in front of his vehicle in the city centre last month.
It was then alleged the driver deliberately accelerated, knocked the man to the ground and drove over his legs before he was stopped by members of the public.
He has been charged of assault causing severe injury and attempted murder. No trail date has been set.
A private hire driver, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, was banned when police brought to light allegations he was involved in an altercation with two female passengers over change from their fare.
Police Scotland told the licensing committee that after making homophobic remarks the driver sped off with a rear door open when it appeared one of the passengers had been sick, causing her to fall out and the vehicle to drive over her foot.
He is expected to stand trial in December over the incident.
The third case saw a 32-year-old removed from the private hire trade after police revealed he had been charged with the rape of a passenger last month.
It is alleged the man picked up two female passengers in the city centre, before dropping one in the south of the city and another in a neighbouring town. Officers claimed that after the remaining passenger told him she had no money and asked to be taken to a police station to arrange a payment the driver raped here.
The man told the committee has strenuously denying the allegations, with no trial date set.
source:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/1474 ... legations/
Login
Register
FAQ
