FM says rapist taxi driver row ‘terrible’ for Highland Council

The decision in June was criticised by rape charities.

Six councillors have since resigned from the licensing committee with one them, Willie Mackay, also quitting the council. A by-election is due to be held in his Wick and East Caithness ward at a later date.

Brown surrendered his licences on Monday, before the committee’s decision could be reviewed by a special meeting of Highland Council.

The meeting still went ahead on Tuesday, and council convener Bill Lobban described the decision as a “disturbing episode” in the local authority’s history.

Five councillors now face a no-confidence vote at a meeting of the full council in September.

They include Sean Kennedy, the committee’s former chairman, who is a non-aligned councillor after resigning from the Highland Independent group

The others are: Scottish Conservative Ruraidh Stewart; Highland Alliance councillor Duncan Macpherson; John Grafton, who was suspended by the Scottish Liberal Democrats; and suspended SNP councillor Chris Birt.

Speaking on a visit to Dundee, Swinney said: “The David Brown controversy has been terrible and I think Highland Council properly and fully faced up to that in the decision that took place yesterday.”