Full Breakdown
Highland Council Licensing Committee Resignations Follow Vote to Retain Convicted Taxi Driver’s Operator Licence
7/7/2026, 12:16:34 AM
Core Event: Resignations After Controversial Licence Vote
Four councillors quit the Highland Council licensing committee after it voted to let David Brown, a taxi driver convicted of raping an 18-year-old passenger, keep his operator’s licence. The resigning members – Independent councillors Sean Kennedy (chair), John Grafton, Duncan Macpherson and Willie MacKay – withdrew; MacKay also resigned his council seat. The vote split along gender lines, with six male councillors supporting the licence and four female councillors opposing.
Background: Driver Conviction and Licensing Framework
David Brown, 50, was sentenced in May 2024 to six years and nine months for the December 2023 assault on an 18-year-old. His driver’s licence was suspended in January 2024, but his separate operator’s licence – which permits his vehicle to operate as a taxi business – remained active pending the committee’s decision.
Timeline of Developments
- December 2023: Brown assaults an 18-year-old passenger.
- January 2024: Driver’s licence suspended.
- May 2024: Six-year-nine-month prison sentence imposed.
- Month before resignations: Six male councillors vote to retain the operator’s licence; four female councillors vote against.
- After the vote: Four committee members resign; Grafton is suspended by his party; SNP leader asks Chris Birt to step down from the committee.
Key Figures and Vote Statistics
David Brown – convicted rapist, holder of a suspended driver’s licence and an active operator’s licence. Independent councillors Sean Kennedy (former chair), John Grafton (suspended by the Scottish Liberal Democrat group), Duncan Macpherson and Willie MacKay (who also resigned as a councillor) were among those who quit. SNP councillor Chris Birt, one of the six male voters, was asked by SNP leader Raymond Bremner to resign. The ten-member committee (six men, four women) voted 6-0 in favour among men and 0-4 against among women. Four members resigned and a further council resignation followed. Brown’s sentence is six years and nine months.
Impact and Public Concern
The decision has attracted criticism and prompted scrutiny of the council’s licensing oversight. The vote split along gender lines, with all male councillors supporting the licence and all female councillors opposing.
Official Responses
The Scottish Liberal Democrat group suspended John Grafton pending review. SNP leader Raymond Bremner instructed Chris Birt to resign from the licensing committee. No formal statement from Highland Council was reported.
Criticism and Reporting Gaps
The source notes criticism of the decision but does not detail the arguments presented. It also does not disclose the council’s rationale for the vote, nor does it describe any planned review of licensing policy, and no direct quotations from involved parties are provided.
