A taxi driver has been fined after he used a racist slur towards another driver over an open radio line.
Colin Adam appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted using an offensive and racist remark about the man while other drivers could hear.
It’s understood the 64-year-old considered it “banter” when he described the other driver as a “black b******” as they waited to enter the taxi rank outside Aberdeen Train Station.
His solicitor told the court his client was “deeply ashamed” by his behaviour.
Victim was ‘annoyed’ and ‘frustrated’
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told the court that drivers who collected passengers from the train station had started using a walkie-talkie app called Zello, which allowed them to communicate with each other.
They would use Zello to chat to one another and determine who was next in line to join the taxi rank at the station’s pick-up point as it only allowed a limited number of cars to stop there.
On September 30 last year, a number of drivers – including Adam – were waiting to enter the taxi rank when Adam stated: “It’s the black b****** next to come down.”
The driver whom Adam was referring to heard this on the radio channel and “believed this referred to him and was annoyed and frustrated by the comment,” Ms Martin said.
“He contacted one of his friends and he said he had to report it to Scotrail Taxi Management Board.
Told police: I’m not a racist
“The complainer then confronted the accused who was confrontational with him when asked about it.
“He decided then to contact the police to report the incident.”
When questioned by police, Adam stated that the comment was “it wasn’t intentional”, adding: “I’m not a racist”.
He also said: “The driver that’s accusing me of being racist provoked me all the time.
“If you need a character witness I can provide someone to speak on my behalf.
“It was an off-the-cuff remark, but it wasn’t intended to cause offence.”
Adam pleaded guilty to one charge of acting in a racially aggravated manner which caused or was intended to cause alarm or distress.
‘No justification’
Defence agent Gregor Kelly told the court that “there had been frustration with regard to conditions for drivers during Covid” and that there was a “limited number of drivers allowed into the station”.
“He believed the complainer had skipped the queue and went in front of his colleague who had been waiting for a long time,” he said.
“Mr Adam accepts that his comment was, of course, offensive, but he described it as banter between the drivers – and the complainer would often make jokes about Mr Adam.
“He knows that’s no justification and he is deeply ashamed about what happened.”
Sheriff Craig Findlater told Adam that his behaviour on this occasion “was unacceptable and is unacceptable in a modern Scotland”.
He added: “I recognise what Mr Kelly said about the robust language used in this industry but you shouldn’t have lowered yourself to it and should have risen above it.”
The sheriff fined Adam, of Bannerman Place, Aberdeen, a total of £210.
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