Taxi Driver Online

The P&J going to town on this issue - and yet another graphic with the voting mugshots. At least this time it's not just the gammons v the all-seeing, all-knowing women

Don't think I'd have granted this guy a badge personally. However - and correct me if I'm wrong - but isn't there a huge detail that isn't mentioned here as regards assessing his suitability??



Revealed: Three councillors in Inverness rapist taxi scandal ALSO granted cab licence to domestic abuser

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ic-abuser/

The trio were part of a committee group who deemed the convicted criminal 'a fit and proper person' to hold a licence.

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A Nairn man who left his former partner permanently scarred in a violent attack was granted a taxi driver’s licence last year.

Highland Council’s licensing committee is facing mounting scrutiny over their handling of applications.

It comes following the decision to not suspend the operator’s licence of convicted rapist David Brown.

Now, The Press & Journal can reveal councillors Sean Kennedy and Chris Birt along with now-resigned councillor Willie Mackay – who backed the Inverness rapist keeping his operator’s licence- also granted a taxi licence to a domestic abuser.

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For legal reasons, we are unable to name the man, who pled guilty to abusing his partner for a period longer than two years.

Despite input from Police Scotland, the man saw his taxi licence approved last autumn after the licensing committee deemed he was a ‘fit and proper person’ to hold one.

The abuse included a violent attack at Elgin Railway Station, which left his partner with permanent facial scarring.

He also pled guilty to assaulting a police officer on the night of his arrest.

Application initially refused

Just months after appearing in court, the man applied for a taxi driver’s licence.

Highland Council’s Licensing Committee refused the application.

However, Sean Kennedy and Willie Mackay both voted in favour of a licence being granted, on the grounds the applicant was a ‘fit and proper person to hold a licence’.

The man reapplied in 2025.

After hearing evidence from Police Scotland and the hopeful taxi driver himself, Sean Kennedy, seconded by Chris Birt, moved to approve the licence.

Willie Mackay also agreed to the motion, along with John Bruce and Lyndsey Johnston.

Man violently attacked partner at Elgin train station

Inverness Sheriff Court was told of the man’s appalling and violent behaviour towards his partner.

He had become furious, following news his partner planned to attend a work night with both male and female colleagues.

At Elgin Railway Station, the abuser called his partner a “filthy s***’ and a ‘f***ing liar’.

He then attacked her, grabbing her by the neck, knocking her to the ground and punching her as she pleaded with him to stop.

The court also heard during the relationship, the man had previously threatened to put his partner’s head through a window.

Following the attack at Elgin station, the woman was left with numerous injuries, including a lip wound which required stitches.

The man had also repeatedly accused his partner of infidelity and was prone to tracking her location and checking her phone without permission.

The sheriff for the case called the behaviour “appalling and violent”.

The man avoided jail time, and instead was given a community payback order with two years’ supervision, and 135 hours of unpaid work.

He also had to complete the Caledonian Men’s Programme for men who commit domestic offences.

Resignations following Inverness taxi licence scandal

Willie Mackay, who agreed to both motions, has resigned from Highland Council following backlash.

Sean Kennedy has resigned as the chairman of the licensing committee, but is still a councillor.

Chris Birt remains as both a councillor and on Highland Council’s licensing committee, but Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner has called on him to resign from the committee.

Highland Council elections will take place in May next year.

The Press & Journal has approached all councillors involved in the 2025 decision for comment.

Anyway, the big detail missing - as far as I can see - is when the domestic abuse stuff actually took place. To be fair, it probably was relatively recent as regards this kind of stuff, because several of the same councillors were involved in the rapist case, and also when this guy was granted his licence last year.

On the other hand, presumably there was a gap of at least a year or two between his initially rejected application and his subsequently successful one almost one year ago.

This is a related P&J piece about the process and politics more generally


Inverness leader opens up about domestic abuse upbringing as he hits out at own council over taxi licence crisis

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Councillor Michael Gregson says the trust in the council has diminished following the scandal.

An Inverness councillor who grew up in an abusive household has raised fears the council has lost the trust of scores of residents.

Councillor Michael Gregson believes local people might question whether women and girls are adequately protected by Highland Council in the wake of the taxi licence scandal.

The Labour councillor said: “As a child, I lived in a violent and abusive home.

“I cannot forget the look of fear on my mother’s face, nor the long-term consequences for her.”

His heartfelt remarks arose following the fallout from the council’s controversial vote to allow convicted rapist David Brown to retain his operator’s licence.

Six councillors voted to let Brown keep licence

Brown was jailed for six years and nine months in May for raping an 18-year-old female passenger in December 2023.

Six male councillors voted in favour of letting him keep the licence.

This was despite stern objections from four of their female peers and from Police Scotland on public safety for women.

The controversial vote, which was held behind closed doors, has sparked fierce debate across the city.

Sean Kennedy, John Grafton, Duncan Macpherson and Willie Mackay have all already resigned from the committee.

On Tuesday evening, the council’s SNP group confirmed Councillor Chris Birt had been suspended.

Inverness councillor calls for greater action in the fallout from licensing vote

Councillor Gregson said he fears the vote has ‘undermined’ people’s confidence in the ability of councillors and the council to safeguard the well-being of women and girls

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Amid fears the public’s trust in the council is in tatters, the Labour councillor says they must ‘try harder’.

“While its decision-making is surely paved with good intentions, and both members and officers strive, by and large, to do the right thing, it is outcomes that matter,” he said.

“And the council’s current crisis – of its own making – is already undermining people’s confidence in the system’s ability to keep women and girls safe.

“This, sadly, is the bottom line.”

Should private meetings be a thing of the past?

Councillor Gregson says the council’s credibility is in question, following the licensing committee meeting.

The local authority has faced mounting scrutiny over its handling of licences in the north.

Today, The Press and Journal revealed damning new evidence of a licence being granted to a domestic abuser.

Sean Kennedy and Chris Birt, along with now-resigned councillor Willie Mackay, were also involved in the approval of this licence.

The recent revelations have also raised questions over the secrecy surrounding some meetings.

Councillor Gregson added: “People are puzzled by too many meetings being in private, where little or no commercial confidentiality or sensitive information is involved.

“People are baffled by opaque decision-making.

“And the bland gloss of official statements doesn’t always reassure.”

Has the taxi scandal destroyed confidence in women’s safety?

The controversial decision has caused an uproar among many charitable groups, fearing for the impact on women’s safety.

Mr Gregson noted the fears of Youth Highland that this case will “erode the trust of women and girls in public services”.

His remarks come just days after RASAH’s (Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland) chief executive, Romy Rehfeld, branded the decision “deeply troubling.”

She said: “Many partners across the Highlands are working hard to make communities safer from sexual violence.

“Decisions like this one sadly set that work back.

“They have the power to make women and girls feel less safe.”

Normally the date of the conviction makes a huge difference, IMO, as to whether a license should be granted or not.

In other words a fella who has got p***ed up and has a fight in a pub 20 years ago, needs to be treated differently to someone who had the same fight last week, especially if the person hasn’t done anything wrong in the intervening 20 years.

However, domestic abuse is a scar on society and it should never be treated sympathetically.

Once again, shame on those councillors.

I’m absolutely delighted they are now reaping what they have sowed.

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IDFIMH