Highland taxi driver fined after driving off before his passenger had completely entered his car

An Inverness taxi driver drove off before one of his passengers had properly entered his vehicle.

The woman was left bruised and lying on the pavement as 72-year-old Iain Mackenzie left the Academy Street rank on August 5.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told his fare “was half in half out, having just got one leg into the car” before he pulled off at low speed.

Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood heard that Mackenzie stopped immediately on seeing his passenger had not properly got in to his cab.

Mackenzie, of Kilmore, Drumnadrochit, admitted careless driving and was fined £300.

The retired bus driver’s clean driving licence was also endorsed with six penalty points.

Defence solicitor Ken MacLeod said: “This is a considerable embarrassment to him. As a bus driver, passenger safety was drilled into him.”