Four councillors quit after vote for rapist taxi driver to keep operator licence (Scotland)

[IwantToRetire]

Four councillors who voted to allow a rapist taxi driver to keep his operator's licence have quit Highland Council's licensing committee.

David Brown, 50, was jailed for six years and nine months in May after attacking an 18-year-old female passenger in December 2023.
Last month, following a request from Brown's family, the committee's six male councillors voted to allow his operator's licence to continue, while its four female councillors voted against it.

Article continues at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjrggzx14r5o

The SNP group on Highland Council has suspended one of its councillors after he voted to allow a rapist taxi driver to keep his operator's licence.

Chris Birt was one of six male councillors who voted to take no action on David Brown's licence after the 50-year-old was jailed for an attack on an 18-year-old female passenger.

Raymond Bremner, SNP group leader at Highland Council, confirmed Birt was suspended on Tuesday.

Bremner had earlier suggested Birt should resign from Highland licensing committee after four other councillors quit.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2wkw765kwo

I dont know is things are worse in Scotland, or that somehow more reporting is done.

Just shocking.

And a big thank you to the 4 unnamed women councillors who voted against the rapist keeping his licence.

What better example of how men in power protect other men, even if they are a convicted rapist. But then look at football.

Well obviously that is a completely different matter, he isnt a fit and proper person, although I dont know what the laws are around awaiting trial. You've been charged but not been found guilty.

I wouldnt be able to do my job if I had a charge hanging over me like that I dont think, I think I would be suspended until the trial, but I need an enhanced DBS as I work with vulnerable children and families.

My posts have been factual and respectful to everyone on this thread, there is no need to make personal comments to me by making things up about what I would or wouldnt do and using rolling eyes. That is inappropriate

This is a discussion forum where Im asking questions to engage in your points. Either engage respecfully or ignore my posts.

Perhaps there was a lack of safeguarding understanding- not anything criminal, but a failure to recognise patterns of behaviour, patterns of complaints for example- that made them concerned about the business continuing unchanged.

And I imagine the initial decision about him being allowed to drive while bailed will have been about presumption of innocence. Safeguarding relies on people being stepped back after complaints, until the investigation is concluded.

In this case men favoured presumption of innocence over safeguarding. I can see why they might- but it’s a failure of training on that council. And perhaps a failure of the officers who advise the councillors.

I agree @PrizedPickledPopcorn

Nonsense.

https://www.google.com/search?q=scotland+coercive+control+legislation&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqGwgBEAAYQhiRAhi0AhjqAhiABBiMBBiKBRjnBjIbCAAQABhCGJECGLQCGOoCGIAEGIwEGIoFGOcGMhsIARAAGEIYkQIYtAIY6gIYgAQYjAQYigUY5wYyGwgCEAAYQhiRAhi0AhjqAhiABBiMBBiKBRjnBjIbCAMQABhCGJECGLQCGOoCGIAEGIwEGIoFGOcGMhsIBBAAGEIYkQIYtAIY6gIYgAQYjAQYigUY5wYyGggFEAAYQhhDGLQCGOoCGIAEGIwEGIoFGOcGMgYIBhBFGEDSAQk4NzYzOWowajmoAgawAgHxBZT-DHSbutsD&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Is his wife not divorcing him? Will he then have a taxi sitting on his doorstep when he serves his term?

I do not believe that there were absolutely no red flags for those that worked for him, I'm sure his attitude to women was shitty.

I think that losing your livelihood because you worked for a shitty misogynist rapist is exactly the kind of consequence we need to get societal change where men (and women) call out the gateway low level abuse that escalates and leads to rape.

Maybe if they lost their license it would create a market opportunity for another company and experienced drivers could transfer to that. Perhaps they'd ensure they recruited more female drivers to that women could choose to avoid the risk of rape when ordering a taxi. This prioritising jobs over women's lives needs to stop.

Edited to add: Yes, it's about safeguarding. There have to be consequences for safeguarding failures.