1 hour ago 
Image source, Highland Council
Willie MacKay, acold left, has resigned arsenic a councillor aft quitting Highland licensing committee on with Sean Kennedy, Duncan Macpherson and John Grafton
Four councillors who voted to let a rapist taxi operator to support his operator's licence person discontinue Highland Council's licensing committee.
David Brown, 50, was jailed for six years and 9 months successful May aft attacking an 18-year-old pistillate rider successful December 2023.
Last month, pursuing a petition from Brown's family, the committee's six antheral councillors voted to let his operator's licence to continue, portion its 4 pistillate councillors voted against it.
After disapproval of the decision, the president Sean Kennedy on with John Grafton, Duncan Macpherson and Willie MacKay person resigned from the committee.
Independent councillor MacKay has besides resigned arsenic a councillor, portion Grafton has been suspended by the Scottish Liberal Democrat radical connected Highland Council.
Kennedy was an Independent councillor.
Brown's taxi driver's licence - which allows him to thrust - had been suspended successful January 2024 aft details of his offences emerged.
His abstracted operator's licence allows his conveyance to beryllium utilized arsenic a taxi business.
Highland licensing committee was asked to see Brown's operator's licence conscionable weeks aft helium was sentenced astatine the High Court successful Stirling.
The tribunal heard Brown picked up the 18-year-old who had been connected a nighttime retired successful Inverness and wanted to spell backmost to her Highland village.
Instead Brown drove past her destination earlier pulling into the lay-by adjacent a farm, determination betwixt Strathpeffer and Dingwall, and sexually assaulted her.
He past near her successful sub-zero temperatures successful Dingwall. A justice said the teen had been forced to acquisition a terrifying ordeal.
Brown, from Croy, adjacent Inverness, had denied rape and claimed helium had a consensual intersexual encounter, but was recovered blameworthy by a assemblage aft a three-day trial.
Image source, Alan Simpson
David Brown was jailed successful May
Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland and Rape Crisis Scotland said the committee's determination had had sent a "harmful message" connected women's safety.
Police Scotland had objected to Brown's operator's licence continuing.
It is understood that the assembly licencing committee, which discussed the substance successful private, had options to ballot to instrumentality nary action, suspend oregon revoke the licence.
Grafton and Highland Alliance councillor Macpherson told BBC Scotland News that councillors voted based connected accusation presented to them astatine the meeting.
Macpherson said helium was assured by officials that Brown would ne'er beryllium permitted to thrust a taxi again.
He said successful a statement: "Speaking arsenic a begetter of a girl and a member to 3 sisters, and arsenic a grandfather, it troubles maine that the determination I took successful the committee has created a feeling of interest oregon insecurity astir women's information successful the Highlands.
"I would ne'er knowingly play immoderate portion successful compromising the information of women and girls and I sincerely bash not judge that I person done truthful successful this case.
"My interest that the information of women and girls adjacent appears to person been compromised is excessively overmuch for my conscience to bear, and this is wherefore I americium resigning."
Macpherson said the lawsuit had been discussed successful backstage "to support the identities of victims".
On Friday, Grafton told BBC Scotland News that with the payment of hindsight and accusation that was not disposable connected the time of the meeting, an alternate determination could person been taken.
He said helium asked officials if determination were immoderate ineligible implications astir the licence, and had assured himself that Brown "presented nary existent threat".
Grafton added: "The remaining conveyance licence would expire good earlier helium was owed for release.
"It is my compassion and my processing which led maine to this determination connected the day. We person been told successful licensing respective times that we are not present to punish – that is the occupation of the courts."
Highland Council said the determination would beryllium referred to a aboriginal gathering of afloat assembly for further consideration.
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