Taxi Driver to Appeal Conviction and Sentence
A taxi driver convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman and subsequently allowed to retain his operator's licence is set to appeal both his conviction and sentence.
David Brown received a prison sentence of six years and nine months in May for an attack that took place in December 2023.
Brown picked up the victim, who had been out for the evening in Inverness, and instead of driving her to her intended destination, he drove past it and attacked her in a lay-by.
Licensing Committee Decision Sparks Outcry
In a private vote last month, Highland Council's licensing committee decided to allow Brown to keep his taxi operator's licence despite objections from Police Scotland. This decision provoked significant public outrage and resulted in the resignation of four councillors from the committee.
Additionally, two councillors were suspended by their respective political parties following the vote.
The courts have been notified of Brown's intention to appeal his conviction and sentence. Although no formal appeal application has yet been submitted, a deadline of next Tuesday has been set for lodging a note of appeal.
Details of the Attack
On the night of the assault, Brown collected the woman after her night out in Inverness. She had intended to return to her Highland village, but Brown drove past her destination and stopped in a lay-by near a farm located between Strathpeffer and Dingwall. There, he raped her and subsequently left her in Dingwall amid sub-zero temperatures.
At Brown's sentencing hearing at the High Court in Stirling in May, Lord Renucci stated:
"He had forced the teenager to undergo a terrifying ordeal."
Council Vote and Political Fallout
In June, six male councillors on Highland Council's licensing committee voted in favor of Brown retaining his taxi operator's licence, while four female councillors opposed the decision.
BBC Scotland News understands that a family member of Brown requested that the licence remain in his name.
Following widespread criticism of the council's decision, several political repercussions ensued. Committee chairman Sean Kennedy, along with councillors John Grafton, Duncan Macpherson, and Willie MacKay, resigned from the licensing committee.
Independent councillor MacKay also resigned from his position as a councillor. John Grafton was suspended by the Scottish Liberal Democrat group on Highland Council, while Sean Kennedy resigned from the Highland Independents group within the local authority.
Chris Birt was subsequently suspended by the council's Scottish National Party (SNP) group.
The sixth councillor who voted in favor, Scottish Conservative Ruraidh Stewart, was approached for comment but no statement was provided.
- SNP suspends councillor who voted for rapist taxi driver to keep licence
- Four councillors quit after vote for rapist taxi driver to keep operator licence
