Interview: Councillor Chris Birt stands by decision to take no action over rapist taxi driver’s operator licenses
Written by MartyM on 27 August 2026
27 AUGUST 2026
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Interview: Councillor Chris Birt stands by decision to take no action over rapist taxi driver’s operator license
Highland Councillor Chris Birt was one of six councillors who voted in June to allow convicted rapist David Brown to retain his taxi operator licences.
Brown was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison after being convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman in 2023. His separate taxi driver’s licence had already been removed.
The decision sparked widespread criticism. Brown has since surrendered his operator licences.
Cllr Birt said he would make the same decision again
Cllr Birt has defended his decision, saying the committee was protecting Brown’s wife, who was operating the business, rather than Brown himself.
Listen to the full interview below.
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