Highland Council taxi licensing controversy

The Highland Council faced significant political fallout after passing a motion of no confidence against five councillors. This followed a June decision where a licensing committee voted to renew taxi operator licences for David Brown, a man sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for the rape of an 18-year-old passenger.

Council convener Bill Lobban characterized the committee’s actions as a ‘fundamental betrayal of public trust’ and a ‘profound lapse in moral judgement.’ Although Brown surrendered the licences in August, the incident prompted calls for the Scottish Government to review eligibility criteria for convicted criminals.

In response to the controversy, Scottish First Minister John Swinney expressed openness to amending taxi licensing laws to prevent convicted sex offenders from holding operator licences. During parliamentary questioning, Swinney stated he agreed ‘unreservedly’ with concerns regarding the incident, noting there should ‘never have been any question’ about the continuation of such licences. He acknowledged the need to address the high degree of discretion currently granted to local licensing authorities.