Taxi Driver Online

Scottish Michelin Guide chef fined for racial abuse of taxi driver

https://www.thestaffcanteen.com/News/ke ... use-fine#/



Acclaimed Aberdeen chef Kevin Dalgleish, owner of Michelin Guide restaurant Amuse, has apologised after being fined £200 in court for racially abusing a taxi driver during an incident last December.

The incident

In a report by Press and Journal, Kevin repeatedly used a racist slur against a 26-year-old driver and at one point threatened, “I’m going to f***ing kill you.” The altercation followed a dispute after the driver accused Kevin of vomiting in his car during the journey.

The driver, who does not wish to be named, claims the episode cost him around £1,000 in lost earnings, with his car off the road for several days during the busy pre-Christmas period. He described the confrontation as “extremely threatening,” explaining that he began filming only after being subjected to racist abuse.

Court proceedings

In Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Kevin pled guilty to an amended charge of racially aggravated abuse, with an allegation of assault withdrawn. Fiscal depute Jane Spark confirmed that video evidence showed the chef making racist comments and lunging towards the driver.

The Crown also removed reference to the death threat in court, though the remarks were captured on video. The driver said he was “really disappointed” that the full 20-minute video of the incident was not played during proceedings.

Reaction from the driver

Speaking afterwards, the driver expressed frustration at both the court’s decision and the impact on his livelihood.

“I must have lost at least £1,000 in earnings,” he said. “He called me a racist name multiple times and kept coming right up to my face. It really upset me for some time afterwards - I lost confidence in going out and working.”

The driver also stressed his Scottish roots: “I was born in Scotland. My father is a taxi driver, and so was my grandad. I’ve been doing this job for four years and I do get some racism - but never to this extent.”

Kevin's apology

Through his lawyer, Kevin told the court he was “not himself” after a busy night in the restaurant. He later issued a public apology, saying he was “ashamed” of his behaviour.

“I have spent my life trying to be a good role model for my employees and the community, and I failed that night,” he said. “The language I used was completely unacceptable and goes against everything I believe in. I take full responsibility for my words and actions and I am committed to learning from this experience.”

Kevin added: “I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused and for letting down those who know me to be better than this moment represents.”

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IDFIMH

Missed that one at the time, but found the full article and video on the P&J's website

Funny that there doesn't seem to be any sign of vomit apart from on the underneath of his jacket. On the other hand, why did he sit down on the vomit if it was as obvious as he's making out, and if it wasn't his?

And it cost the driver £1,000...

Even more surprising is that there's no mention of Uber, which would surely have prevented this incident


Video exclusive: Aberdeen chef Kevin Dalgleish ‘ashamed’ after racist rant caught on camera

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ant-video/

Footage of the unpleasant encounter between the Michelin Guide chef and a taxi driver has been obtained by The Press and Journal.

he taxi driver who was the target of racist abuse by an acclaimed Aberdeen chef has told of his “disappointment and upset” after a court handed out a £200 fine.

Kevin Dalgleish – who owns Amuse in the city centre – called the Scottish-born driver a “P***” repeatedly during the confrontation and at one point can be heard saying “I’m going to f***ing kill you”.

In a statement to The Press and Journal today, Dalgleish said he was “ashamed” of his behaviour and called his language “completely unacceptable”.

“I have spent my life trying to be a good role model for my employees and the community, and I failed that night,” he said.

The unpleasant encounter happened last December after the taxi driver accused Dalgleish of vomiting during the journey, and the chef refused to pay for the clean-up.

Watch: Top chef’s racist rant

https://content.jwplatform.com/previews/ffipdF7R

The 26-year-old driver, who does not wish to be named, says the entire episode cost him £1,000 in earnings, after his car was off the road for days during the busy pre-Christmas period.

Talking exclusively to The Press and Journal, the driver said Dalgleish sat in the front seat of his car and had commented on how nice it was.

But during the journey, the driver claims Dalgleish vomited onto the passenger side door, getting sick on his own jacket and soiling the storage compartment.

Dalgleish apologised to the driver and strenuously denies that he vomited in the car.

On arrival, Dalgleish was charged £7 for the fare and a further £60 as compensation for the clean-up.

“I lost a lot more than that,” the driver said. “I had to go and get it deep cleaned and deodorised, which cost £80, and had to take a couple of days off.

“Obviously, I couldn’t work the rest of that night either.

“I must have lost at least £1,000 in earnings.”

Chef lunges at driver

The driver’s phone camera videos of the incident – an edited portion of which was shown in Aberdeen Sheriff court yesterday – show the billigerent restaurant boss calling the man a “P***” several times.

After being told that it was “disgusting” to use the P-word, Dalgleish tells the driver: “What have I done here? What have I done here? You’re disgusting. You’re a fat c***.”

Moments later, when the chef asks why he is being filmed, the driver explains it is because he used the racial slur.

“Oh, so it’s changed now, is it? You’re a fat P***, that’s what it is,” Dalgleish replies.

Shortly after that exchange, Dalgleish lunges towards the taxi driver, prompting his victim to say: “Keep your hands to yourself.”

“I will,” the chef replies, adding: “You’re lucky I will.”

‘I’m going to f***ing kill you’

In court yesterday, Dalgleish pleaded to an amended charge of a racially aggravated hate crime by making racist comments at the driver and lunging at him.

Four minutes into their confrontation, the chef questions what is going on, and the driver explains it is because he vomited in his vehicle and called him a “fat P***” multiple times.

“Well you are a fat P***. Why is it disgusting? Because you are a fat P***. Is that a fact? That’s an absolute fact. Am I right or no?”

Later, and despite being repeatedly asked to “keep his distance”, Dalgleish stands close to his victim’s face and, referring to the substance on his jacket, asks: “What is this?”

“You must know – it came from your f***ing car,” the chef continues. “Hey fatty … I’m going to f***ing kill you.”

The Crown removed reference to Dalgleish threatening to kill the driver from the charge, and that moment did not feature in the video played in court by fiscal depute Jane Spark.

The Crown also withdrew an allegation that Dalgleish assaulted the driver by pushing him.

The taxi driver said he was disappointed the full encounter – lasting more than 20 minutes – wasn’t played in full in court.

He explained that one of the videos he took was almost 20 minutes in length, and he had difficulties uploading it onto the Police Scotland system.

“He threatened to kill me,” the driver said. “He gets right up to my face.

“He had been sick all over his jacket when I started confronting him. He started gloating about being a restaurant owner.

“I’m really disappointed that the full video was not played in court, and that the assault charge was dropped – no one has told me anything.”

‘I was born in Scotland’

The driver said he felt “extremely threatened” by Dalgleish’s behaviour.

“I’m so glad I filmed it,” he said. “I started filming the sick on the door, but then he called me a P*** – that’s when I moved the camera up and began filming his face.

“I also want to make it clear that I was born in Scotland. My father is a taxi driver, and so was my grandad.

“I’ve been doing this job for four years, and I do get some racism – but never to this extent.

“He called me a P*** multiple times – and kept coming right up to my face.

“It really upset me for some time afterwards – I lost confidence in going out and working if I’m honest.”

Dalgleish’s defence agent Ross McTaggart told the court his client was “not himself” after a busy night in the restaurant.

Mr McTaggart also told the court Dalgleish wanted to apologise to the taxi driver but denied his client had been sick in the taxi.

“He regrets using the four-letter word, which amounts to the racist offence,” the lawyer added.

Chef offers new apology to driver

The award-winning chef, who appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu on two occasions, this afternoon released a statement about the incident.

He said: “I’ve watched the video of that night and I am ashamed of my behaviour. It was an intimidating situation being locked in a taxi and in the spur of the moment, I spoke in a way that I deeply regret. While the majority of the charges were dropped in court, this does not excuse my actions.

“I have spent my life trying to be a good role model for my employees and the community, and I failed that night. I want to sincerely apologise to the taxi driver, who deserved to be treated with respect regardless of the circumstances.

“The language I used was completely unacceptable and goes against everything I believe in. I take full responsibility for my words and actions and I am committed to learning from this experience.

“I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused and for letting down those who know me to be better than this moment represents.”

and this led me to a divorce

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