Exclusive interview: Drew Millar

Skye SNP councillor Drew Millar has spoken publicly for the first time about his role in the taxi licensing scandal.

He spoke exclusively to Radio Skye. It comes after five Highland councillors were told they will face motions of no confidence for voting to take no action against rapist David Brown’s taxi operator licences. The move was announced at a special meeting of Highland Council on Tuesday.

Councillor Millar was a member of the Licensing Committee when it considered Brown’s licence in January 2024, a month after he committed his crime. Mr Millar voted against suspending Brown’s operator’s licence at that time, but was no longer on the committee for the vote in June this year.

David Brown, from Croy, was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison in May after being convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman in December 2023.

He was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh in April and sentenced at the High Court in Stirling a month later.

The court heard Brown picked up the woman in Inverness after a night out and drove past her intended destination before taking her to a remote location between Strathpeffer and Dingwall.

The victim said Brown had agreed to take her home despite her not having enough money for the fare.

He pulled into a lay-by near a farm, where he attacked her.

Police were later able to establish the route Brown had taken using the tracker system fitted to his taxi.

You can listen to the full interview with Drew Millar below.