Highland Council faces protest over taxi licence for convicted rapist

Highland Council will hold an emergency in‑person meeting on 4 August to reconsider its decision to allow a jailed rapist, David Brown, to retain his taxi operator’s licence. Brown was sentenced to six years and nine months in May 2026 for attacking an 18‑year‑old passenger in Ross‑shire in December 2023. The licence vote by six male councillors sparked public outcry, leading four councillors to resign from the licensing committee and one to be expelled from the local Liberal Democrat group.

The Highland Women’s Rights Group is organising a peaceful protest outside the council headquarters in Inverness, demanding that the meeting be held publicly and that women’s safety be prioritised. Organiser Claire Marcello urged supporters to sign a petition calling for the licence’s revocation, which has already gathered almost 6,000 signatures.