Taxi Driver Online

Taxi business conman spared jail

Sentence was passed at Edinburgh Sheriff Court
A man, who conned a disabled woman out of £25,000 by pretending he would help her start up a taxi business, has been given 300 hours community service.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court, taxi driver Scott Brunton, 36, was told it had been a "despicable crime".

Brunton, from Edinburgh, had earlier pleaded guilty to taking £25,000 from cerebral palsy sufferer Alison Walker, 48, between January and May 2005.

The sheriff said he took into account the fact the money had been repaid.

Sheriff Charles Stoddart also noted the fact Brunton was a first offender and the level of remorse he had shown.

Cerebral palsy

Brunton befriended Ms Alison Walker before offering to kick start a new business for her.

Ms Walker, who could not leave her home, trusted Brunton and handed over her bank card and pin number for him to access funds.

He told her he needed upfront deposits to purchase a taxi and buy business contracts, but instead he spent the cash immediately drinking and gambling.

The court was told at a previous hearing they met when Brunton became Ms Walker's regular taxi driver transporting her to hospital to visit her mother.

If you send him to jail, the money will not be available.

David Blair-Wilson
Defence agent,

She received a £38,000 lump sum when she retired as a BT technician and told Brunton she wanted to set up her own taxi business with the cash.

Previously, defence agent, David Blair-Wilson, urged Sheriff Charles Stoddart not to jail his client.

"If you send him to jail, the money will not be available. In order to recompense the victim it is far better for her to have £25,000 in her hand in 10 days than send Mr Brunton to jail and she gets nothing."

Sheriff Stoddart deferred sentence for three weeks to allow repayment.

Mr Blair-Wilson told the court on Friday Brunton had managed to save £5,000 and the rest of the money had come from his sister and his father re-mortgaging his home.

Brunton was now handing over his wages to his father to repay his family.

The solicitor urged Sheriff Stoddart not to jail his client as.

He said: "That will place his father in the same position as the victim."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin