Review of rapist taxi driver's operator licence could be held in private

A full council review of a decision to allow a convicted rapist to keep his taxi operator’s licence could be held in private.

David Brown, from Croy, near Inverness, raped a teenager in a layby in December 2023 after picking her up after a night out in Inverness.

He then dumped the 18-year-old in Dingwall on a freezing cold night.

The 50-year-old was found guilty by a jury after a three-day trial in Edinburgh in April. He was later jailed for six years and nine months.

Brown had his taxi driver’s licence suspended in January 2024 after details of his crime emerged.

But last month, a Highland Council committee voted in private to allow a taxi operator’s licence in his name to continue.

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David Brown raped the 18-year-old female in a layby in December 2023 after picking her up after a night out in Inverness

Police had objected to allowing the licence to continue, but Brown’s wife had argued at the meeting that she needed the licence to keep earning a living.

Six male councillors – chairman Sean Kennedy, Willie Mackay, Chris Birt, Duncan Macpherson, John Grafton and Conservative group leader Ruraidh Stewart – voted for Brown to keep the licence.

They outvoted the four women on the committee, who were against the move.

Following public outcry over the decision, four of the men resigned from the committee, and a fifth was suspended by his party.

Highland Council paused the committee decision and announced it would be reconsidered at a full council meeting on August 4.

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David Brown was allowed to keep his two taxi operator licences despite being convicted of raping a teenage passenger

Members of the public, including campaigners who gathered in Inverness at the weekend to protest against the decision, have called for next month’s decision to be heard in public.

Protest organiser, Claire MacKay, told STV News: “I don’t think that meeting should happen in private and I think all licenses granted by this committee, specifically for taxi drivers, should be investigated.”

However, it has emerged that the review of the licensing committee decision has been recommended to be heard in private.

Highland Council said the decision to reconsider the original outcome of the meeting was an “extremely unusual step”, but that the special meeting would follow the same rules as the licensing committee.

As a result, it will begin in public before members are asked to agree to the item in private.

The local authority said this step is only taken “if there is a legal reason to do so, including, for example, where confidential or exempt information is included”.

A spokesperson for Highland Council said: “We recognise and understand the high level of public interest in this and are committed to being as transparent as possible about the process and outcome of the meeting, while complying with legislation.”