Taxi Driver Online

[Edit - the article here now seems at least partially paywalled (or at least you have to register to read it), so anyone wanting to view the video maybe better to go via the Inverness Courier article nearer the bottom of the thread. Or there's a direct link to the P&J's version of the video in the second article below, which is fast-loading and just three seconds long, but the more cumbersome link via the Inverness Courier and the video and adverts doesn't really add much beyond the text and still photos below ]


There's a 30 second video via the weblink of the driver apparently picking up passengers while suspended

But this is mainly about the ex-chair playing the victim as regards licensing decisions. Can't be bothered going through all this. But I suspect a lot of what he's saying is garbage. And the quotes from him here make it sound like he knows that he doesn't know all the ins and outs of the procedures anyway


EXCLUSIVE: Ex-chairman Sean Kennedy brands licensing a ‘poison chalice’ in only interview as we challenge him on rapist David Brown decision

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/new ... is-439618/



The man who formerly led the council committee which has found itself embroiled in controversy for approving a taxi licence in the name of a convicted rapist has branded licensing a “poisoned chalice”.

Giving his first interview since resigning as committee chairman Councillor Sean Kennedy, also a member for the Dingwall and Seaforth ward, said members of Highland Council’s licensing committee are not always given as much detail as they would like before having to reach decisions.

And he was shocked as we put to him evidence suggesting rapist David Brown was continuing to work as a taxi driver even after the committee had suspended his taxi driver’s licence in January 2024.

The Inverness Courier broke the story that Highland Council’s licensing committee voted to approve a taxi operator’s licence in the name of David Brown, now imprisoned for his rape of a young woman he picked up from Inverness.

Cllr Kennedy and others who have also resigned from the committee in recent days have explained their thinking on that matter being that they didn’t want to disadvantage Brown’s wife, who said she needed the licence to continue operating as a taxi driver herself.

A taxi driver needs both a personal licence and an operator’s licence, the latter covering the vehicle for use.

Explaining from his perspective how the broader decision-making process is managed in committee, Cllr Kennedy told us: “There's kind of two sets of information we get, whether they're private matters or public matters.”

On public matters, he said, “we get told everything”.

But private matters - with discussion of Brown’s operator’s licence being held in private session - he said are ““utterly different”.

“We get very very little,” he insisted. “In fact the best way to describe it is like a poisoned chalice, and we really don't know what poison is in this chalice.”

We asked Cllr Kennedy whether, in an instance where a man who was applying for a taxi driver’s licence had been charged with offences of sexual and domestic abuse, the committee would get that information.

“If he was charged I think we would be given that,” he said. “If it was only an investigation – sub-judicial - we know nothing about it.

“So I could say – ‘What has Mr X done?’ They can't tell you. ‘Did Mr X do it to a man? Did he do it to a woman?’ We wouldn't get told.

“‘What time of day did it happen at?’ We wouldn't be told. The police would just say ‘it's sub-judicial, can’t tell you’. But if he was charged you might be able to get that.”

Otherwise, he said: “We're working totally and utterly on guesswork."

Cllr Kennedy suggested it was likely that it was that lack of information that led the committee, in January 2024, to revoke Brown’s tax driver licence - but allow him to retain his operator’s licence.



This week we have seen a short video shot at Inverness Airport on July 8, 2024, at around 8.50pm, apparently showing Brown picking up passengers coming off a London flight.

The detailed claims come from sources who say they are able to identify Brown from the video.

Further allegations have been made of subsequent incidents of Brown also operating as a taxi service in October and November 2025, witnesses saying they sent photos and videos to the council, though the council says it cannot find that email.

Shown the video Cllr Kennedy said: "Well, he shouldn't have been doing that. I mean, he had no taxi driver licence. I'm absolutely horrified about that. That should have gone straight to the police because I think that could be a criminal offence.”

Brown was jailed for his December 2023 attack on a “vulnerable” teenage passenger put through what a judge described as a “terrifying ordeal”.

In January 2024 Councillor Drew Millar tabled an amendment to allow Brown to keep his operator’s licence, seconded by Cllr Kennedy and supported by Cllrs John Bruce, John Grafton and Duncan Macpherson.

But this was rejected at a vote, however he was allowed to keep his taxi operator’s licence both in 2024 and last month following his conviction.

The council aims to get the matter taken before a full council meeting for reconsideration.

The accusation seems to be that he'd been driving two different motors while suspended, although it's not entirely clear. But certainly two different motors in the photo and video

This is the P&J's version regarding the same allegation, but focused only on that. Not much difference to the stuff above, but it's more evident from this that it was members of the trade who gathered the evidence and made the complaints. Surprise, surprise

As for the council's claim that they couldn't find the relevant email, that presupposes only a single complaint was officially lodged. But whether or not that's the case is unclear.

Or whether a complaint was actually lodged with police isn't clear either. There's certainly lots of stuff here in Fife that's really the responsibility of either the police or council. But I tend to avoid any and all contact with both, unless it's something pretty serious

(There's a link to a version of the earlier video below, but it's just a couple of seconds of him loading the luggage, but at least there's no adverts etc. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks more like the luggage being loaded rather than dropping off...)


Video emerges of banned rapist taxi driver on Inverness airport drop-off months before he was jailed

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... s-airport/

The footage is said to have been recorded in March when his licence was suspended.

https://content.jwplatform.com/previews/GiCyS0ye

A video appears to show convicted rapist David Brown dropping off passengers at Inverness Airport years after Highland Council suspended his taxi driver’s licence.

The footage, understood to have been recorded on March 20 2026, emerged of Brown dropping off passengers into the airport.

The video has been shared with the Press and Journal amid allegations that Brown continued operating as a taxi driver despite his driver’s licence being suspended by Highland Council’s licensing committee in January 2024.

The P&J understands that all the allegations were presented to the council, and information was given to the police.

David Brown appears to have been captured on video at Inverness Airport

Several Inverness taxi drivers, who asked not to be identified, claimed Brown continued working after losing his licence.

One driver said Brown had been “caught” by fellow taxi drivers on a number of occasions.

Another alleged that there had been repeated concerns within the trade that Brown was continuing to pick up and drop off passengers despite no longer being licensed to drive a taxi.

Further allegations have also been made that Brown was seen operating as a taxi driver in July, October and November 2025.

Witnesses claim photographs and video footage were sent to Highland Council, although the local authority has said it has been unable to locate the email.

We have asked Highland Council to comment.

Brown retained his taxi operator’s licence after his taxi driver’s licence was suspended.

He was later convicted of raping a female passenger he had picked up in Inverness in December 2023 and was jailed in May this year.

Former licensing committee chairman Sean Kennedy told the Inverness Courier he was “absolutely horrified” when shown the airport footage.

He said: “Well, he shouldn’t have been doing that. I mean, he had no taxi driver licence. I’m absolutely horrified about that.

“That should have gone straight to the police because I think that could be a criminal offence.”

Mr Kennedy approached for comment

Mr Kennedy has been approached for comment.

Highland Council has been asked whether it was aware of the July 2024 incident, whether it investigated the allegations that Brown continued operating as a taxi driver after his licence was suspended, and whether any enforcement action was taken.

Police Scotland has also been asked whether it received reports relating to the alleged incidents and whether any investigation was carried out.

This is the Inverness Courier's more specific article about the video and photographic evidence that he'd been working. And includes the video via the link, but in truth there's not much more evidence in the video than in the text, still images and easy loading P&J shorter version of the video above.

But according to this the council did receive the evidence, but passed it to police. And reads like an element of buck-passing in that regard


EXCLUSIVE: Video of rapist David Brown allegedly operating cab AFTER losing taxi driver licence sparking concerns about safety of women and girls in the region

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/new ... -c-439680/

The crisis at Highland Council over the handling of licensing issues is being fuelled by real concerns about the safety of women and girls in the Highlands.

So allegations that taxi driver and convicted rapist David Brown continued operating for months after losing his licence to work was suspended will certainly trigger alarm bells.

It means Brown was still working after raping a “vulnerable” teenage passenger in December 2023.

The development is a major blow to confidence in the licensing regime in the Highlands and one which indicates that enforcement may well be inadequate.

While Brown had his taxi driver’s licence suspended at a committee meeting in January 2024, he was allowed to retain his operator’s licence, attached to a vehicle rather than a particular driver.

The Inverness Courier can exclusively reveal how sources have detailed, in photos and video, allegations that Brown was operating at Inverness Airport after his taxi driving licence was suspended.

The video (above) shot at the airport on July 8, 2024, at around 8.50pm.



Further allegations have been made of subsequent incidents of Brown also operating as a taxi service in October and November 2025.

Witnesses claim that they sent the photos and videos to the council.

The council told us this morning: “The email received from a member of the public on 20 August 2025 was passed to Police Scotland on the same date. Driving an unlicensed taxi is a matter for the police.”

We have now approached the police for comment.

At the January 2024 meeting where the licensing committee unanimously decided to allow Brown to keep his taxi operator’s licence he was not in custody but was under investigation.

Between January 2024 and June 2026 Brown appears to have continued to use his operator’s licence, which remained on the vehicle.

If it had been suspended it would have been more difficult to pass the cab off as a working taxi and Brown as a legitimate licensed driver.



Councillor Sean Kennedy chaired the licensing committee throughout this period and as he sat down with us to give his first interview since quitting the post, we asked for his reaction to the video showing Brown continuing to operate as a taxi driver. As mentioned in our lead story today, he declared himself “horrified” and said the matter should have gone to the police.

We asked if he remembered whether committee received any information about Brown being charged in 2024.

He said: “Having seen some of the articles and some of the other councillors who got involved with it, I think that this was still totally and utterly subjudicial at the time.

“I might be wrong… I honestly cannot remember.

“I can't for a minute think that we were told at the time that he had been charged.”

Well indeed he could continue to *operate* because that licence hadn't been suspended, as per the first paragraph.

Which may seem a bit nit-picking, but there's all sorts of stuff like that littered throughout these articles. And which is the root of the initial claims all over the place that because his operator's licence (plate) was still extant then to that extent he could start driving again when he came out of prison