Taxi Driver Online

Just as well councillors gave the two licensed premises mentioned here an extra hour's opening after lockdown. When consuming alcohol was a huge danger, supposedly

(And although the female here came out of the students' union, she might well have come out of the other place mentioned. If she'd come round the corner to the taxi rank, I'd have guessed it was a toss up between which of the two she'd been in, depending on the night of the week - literally, because some nights the students are all at the students' union, but other nights across the road in the Vic )


Ski instructor caught sexually assaulting drunk woman in St Andrews street

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/co ... ws-street/

Fraser Baggaley, who claims he cannot remember his sexual assault, was confronted by bouncers.

A ski instructor took advantage of a woman’s drunken state to sexually assault her in the street in St Andrews.

Fraser Baggaley, 21, was captured on CCTV indecently touching his former friend at St Marys Place, near several pubs and clubs.

At one stage, Baggaley had carried the woman – who could barely stand or walk – out of the Fife town‘s student union.

He is now on the sex offenders register and awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to sexual assault on October 3 2024.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard how Baggaley’s victim had no memory of the attack, which was witnessed by bouncers.

Baggaley was confronted by one staff member and claimed he was concerned about the woman.

The worker replied: “If you were that concerned you wouldn’t have put your hand down her pants.”

Bouncers questioned offender

Prosecutor Joanne Ritchie said Baggaley and the woman were known to each other but not in a relationship at the time.

A safety officer at the student union saw Baggaley carrying her and stopped him to make sure she was safe.

Baggaley had repeatedly tried to answer for her but the worker managed to obtain answers from the woman directly.

She left the woman after trying to assist her across the road.

However, Baggaley’s behaviour captured the attention of two bouncers outside The Vic pub.

Ms Ritchie said: “The complainer was very drunk and they went to check on them to make sure they knew each other.

“They saw the complainer had her back to the accused and the accused had his hand down her trousers.

“One of the security officers went over to put a stop to what was happening and did not believe the complainer was able to consent to what was happening to her.”

Baggaley was described as being drunk but not to the extent the woman was.

No memory

Two females leaving The Vic ended up sharing a taxi with the victim, helping her to her flat and putting her in the recovery position in her bed.

Police were contacted due to multiple concerns from witnesses and officers later found evidence she had vomited in her bed.

Ms Ritchie said: “She had no memory of being outside, how she got home or what had happened to her.”

At one stage, the court heard how Baggaley was propping her up against a window.

Officers carried out a follow-up welfare check on the woman days later and she said she still had no memory of what had happened.

After being arrested and charged, Baggaley told police: “I don’t remember doing this so I must have been equally intoxicated.”

‘Horror’ over offence

Baggaley pled guilty on indictment to sexually assaulting the woman by kissing her and placing his hands inside her lower clothing while she was drunk and unable to consent.

Defence counsel Iain McSporran KC said: “I am specifically instructed to express his genuine remorse and, indeed, horror at what he has done.

“He still has no recollection of committing this offence.

“He accepts that he committed this offence but is utterly appalled that he should have done so and wishes me to express what appears to be genuine contrition that he should do this thing.”

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence on Baggaley, of Edinburgh, until April for a social work report to be prepared.

The court heard how he teaches skiing in Austria and is competing in championships across five days in March.

Hypothetical alternative scenarios:

- puked up in taxi instead of later in her bed;

- ended up in taxi at rank round the corner on her own, with predatory driver. A few of those around these days. Allegedly.

- shoved in taxi on her own by friends, bouncer or security from the Vic or students' union. Ditto above scenario.

- ended up in the takeaway round the corner across from the taxi rank; you know, the one Creepy Jack ran and ended up sexually assaulted a young woman.

- got into a car parked illegally on the rank, thinking it's a taxi.

- or something similar happened, but away from the public eye. Probably reasonably commonplace, I'd imagine. But, of course, as per the scenario depicted, neither party possibly any recollection at all because of the level of intoxication.

But, as I said, councillors seem more interested in extending the licensing hours of the two premises mentioned in the piece.

And, of course, making taxi drivers sound like a huge public danger because they've not got a 'fire extinguisher location sticker', or their rooflight's not illuminating