Rab Smith Edinburgh.
Got involved in a fracas on his nite off. Was reported to the procurator fiscal who did not proceed.
Scumbag Cab Inspector, I believe it was the lesbian Audrey Frye, reported said Smith to the council. He has a young family. He appeared before the council and they took his licence from him 6 weeks before Cgristmas. He was deemed not to be a fit and proper person to hold a taxi licence. Income cut off. Happy Christmas or what?
Only two people in the trade offered any opposition, the Skull and me. Everyone else in the trade thought the council's action was acceptable.
Now, councils don't have the right to use suspension of licence as a punishment. We told them this and they took it on board.
So, what they did, rather than as they had done previously in taking the licence away for a month or three months, they took the licence away until it expired. Wanna bet Scumbag convener Colin Keir got his rocks off on that one?
Smith engaged a lawyer who failed to recognise the merits of his human rights being breached and failed to win his reprieve. (After all, if Human Rights was allowed to intervene wouldn't said lawyer's 1982 Act dripping roast be ended?)
If Dundee operate like the scumbag councillors in Edinburgh (Does anyone now doubt that they are truly scumbags) then I'm afraid you're fecked.
However there are some things you can do.
First, you must make an immediate freedom of information request of the Tayside Chief Constable asking the number and nature of all convictions of his serving officers.
I can't remember the specific numbers off the top of my head, but there was any number of driving and assault convictions within Lothian and Borders police, who under the lesbian, and now heyero Frank Smith (but affectionately known as "Gladys"), make numerous complaints about lesser matters concerning cabbies which the council rounds on with true fascist zeal.
The inference here is that how can the Chief Constable making the complaint possible do so when the alleged non-crime is of a much lesser level than those of his officers. If the cabbie is not fit and proper, how can those serving officers be?
Second, you must write to council and point out that you are entitled to a fair hearing under the 1998 Human Rights Act. Ask them to prove before any hearing that they have had their procedures scrutinised by an appropriate legal authority to ensure compliance with the HRA 1998.
Do NOToffer any information to the council, do NOT speak to the charge and do NOT attend any meeting until the above has been proved to your satisfaction.
If you require any assistance with this matter we will be happy to craft the correspondence for you.
Third, the council is operating as a quasi-judicial body. You may wish to consider consulting a lawyer and require that you are granted civil legal aid to pursue your defence of this matter.
This will likely be denied to you, however it will show up a flaw in the system and highlight that you can not possibly get the fair hearing you are entitled to under the ACT. No proper representation, then you have a right to resist any hearing.
Fourth, you should be aware that councils do not operate to any of the standards of judicial bodies. They recognise no precedent, they operate to no benchmarks, they don't adhere to any reasonable standards. They make it up as they go along. The process allows them to dig out anyone they don't like, and even if they don't particularly dislike you as an individual they can kick you out anyway just to send a message to the rest of the bewildered herd to keep them in line.
If Dundee is like Edinburgh they get away with this because they put disciplinary matters onto a "B" Agenda which is dealt with "in camera". By operating in secret there is no public record of how draconian and unreasonable the scumbags are.
Fifth, you must insist that any hearing is dealt with on an open Agenda. (We would come to the meeting and "observe" "righteous" councilling at work
)
And let them know well in advance of your re4quirement for this. It is wise to organise the media to attend. You should advise them of this also.
Sixth, the mindset for success here is that you have to go to "war" with the council. They have to know they are in a fight. And they have to be aware that their reputations are on the line. That the public are going to know how they conduct themselves. This should be of interest to them particularly with the forthcoming elections.
You want any assistance, then the Skull and I would be happy to ensure that on this occasion the council are sent homeward to think again.
All you have to do is ask.
BTW Forget hoping that the trade "representatives" will help. You're on your own. They're too busy licking scumbag arses to worry about little old you.
