Latest news with #LicensingSub-Committee
Daily Record
23-07-2025
- Daily Record
Private hire driver who sexually assaulted woman after takeaway delivery has licence suspended
Usama Yaseen, 27, has been placed on the sex offenders registry after the attack in Fife on March 20 last year. A private hire driver has had his licence suspended after sexually assaulting a woman he delivered a takeaway to in Edinburgh. Usama Yaseen, 27, has been placed on the sex offenders registry after the attack in Fife on March 20 last year. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he told a woman he was delivering takeaway to, 'oh my God, you're gorgeous', before asking her for her phone number. Yaseen later returned to the address, and was invited inside for coffee. A few minutes later, while sitting next to the woman, he touched her chest and stomach, to which she immediately replied, 'you don't do that'. He left, and police were contacted. They took a statement from the woman, and Yaseen's DNA was found on the woman's dress. Police sergeant Grant Robinson told the Licensing Sub-Committee on Tuesday: 'I am of the opinion that by reason of this conviction for a serious sexual offence against a stranger, the private hire car licence held by the licence holder should be suspended. 'In my opinion, the licence holder is no longer a fit and proper person to hold the licence, and carry out the licensing activity, as it is causing and likely to cause affect to public safety.' Yaseen was found guilty at the sheriff court on June 13 of this year. Police Scotland wrote to the council on June 19 requesting the immediate suspension of his private hire driver's licence, which was granted. On Monday, the committee agreed to extend that six week suspension, the standard length for any urgent stop to a private hire licence, to the end of his licence's validity on August 5. Yaseen told the committee the woman had given him his phone number while he was delivering food to her home, and invited him in for a drink. He said he declined because he was working, but came in when she offered coffee instead. According to him, he accidentally brushed her dress with his hand while in her home. Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross said: 'Despite everything the applicant has said, we have a conviction in front of us, he needs to make his appeal to court, not to this committee.' Conservative councillor and Sub-Committee convener Joanna Mowat added: 'This has been tried in court, where solicitors can call witnesses. 'We haven't got a witness in front of us, but we do have a prosecution. I don't see us doing anything other than continue the suspension given that this has been tried at a trial court.' Cllr Ross came back in to ask: 'If we suspend the unexpired portion, which takes us to August 5, which isn't very long, is there a new application process? Is this likely to come back to us?' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Mr Mitchell replied the licence holder would still be able to apply to renew his private hire licence, and the renewal could be referred back to the committee. The committee agreed to extend the suspension of Yaseen's private hire licence until the end of its term. He applied for his first private hire driver's licence in August 2024, which was granted on August 16 of that year. Yaseen is due to be sentenced at a hearing on Monday, July 28.
Edinburgh Reporter
22-07-2025
- Edinburgh Reporter
Private hire driver who sexually assaulted woman has licence suspended by Council
A private hire driver who sexually assaulted a woman he delivered a takeaway to has had his licence suspended by Edinburgh Council. Usana Yaseen, 27, has been placed on the sex offenders registry after the attack in Fife on March 20, 2024. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he told a woman he was delivering takeaway to, 'oh my God, you're gorgeous', before asking her for her phone number. Yaseen later returned to the address, and was invited inside for coffee. A few minutes later, while sitting next to the woman, he touched her chest and stomach, to which she immediately replied, 'you don't do that'. He left, and police were contacted. They took a statement from the woman, and Yaseen's DNA was found on the woman's dress. Police sergeant Grant Robinson told the Licensing Sub-Committee on Tuesday: 'I am of the opinion that by reason of this conviction for a serious sexual offence against a stranger, the private hire car licence held by the licence holder should be suspended. 'In my opinion, the licence holder is no longer a fit and proper person to hold the licence, and carry out the licensing activity, as it is causing and likely to cause affect to public safety.' Yaseen was found guilty at the sheriff court on June 13 of this year. Police Scotland wrote to the council on June 19 requesting the immediate suspension of his private hire driver's licence, which was granted. On Monday, the committee agreed to extend that six week suspension, the standard length for any urgent stop to a private hire licence, to the end of his licence's validity on August 5. Yaseen told the committee that the woman had given him his phone number while he was delivering food to her home, and invited him in for a drink. He said that he declined because he was working, but came in when she offered coffee instead. According to him, he accidentally brushed her dress with his hand while in her home. Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross said: 'Despite everything the applicant has said, we have a conviction in front of us, he needs to make his appeal to court, not to this committee.' Conservative councillor and Sub-Committee convener Joanna Mowat added: 'This has been tried in court, where solicitors can call witnesses. 'We haven't got a witness in front of us, but we do have a prosecution. I don't see us doing anything other than continue the suspension given that this has been tried at a trial court.' Cllr Ross came back in to ask: 'If we suspend the unexpired portion, which takes us to August 5, which isn't very long, is there a new application process? Is this likely to come back to us?' Mr Mitchell replied that the licence holder would still be able to apply to renew his private hire licence, and that the renewal could be referred back to the committee. The committee agreed to extend the suspension of Yaseen's private hire licence until the end of its term. He applied for his first private hire driver's licence in August 2024, which was granted on August 16 of that year. Yaseen is due to be sentenced at a hearing on Monday, July 28. By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Pro-Palestine demonstration set to be rerouted to avoid protesters getting close to the tram line
A pro-Palestine demonstration is set to be rerouted to avoid protesters getting close to the tram line, after an emergency shutdown of power lines was needed at a march over the weekend. Police Scotland expressed concerns over the August 9 march after a demonstration on Saturday saw 'frantic calls' to get the power to the trams cut off over electrocution concerns. And they said that the rally had its route changed two days before it started, which added difficulty for them in policing it and led to road closures not being in place in time. The August 9 march with an estimated 500 participants is set to be held on the same day as a major Orange walk, which is set to see 1,500 participants descend on the city centre at the height of the festival. The city's Licensing Sub-Committee considered two pro-Palestine demonstrations from the organisers of Saturday's march on Monday, with one set to run on August 2 and the other on August 9. Police sergeant Grant Robinson said: 'Our assessment was that serious safety issues were frankly ignored by participants and stewards. 'Many presented waving high flags and banners on approach to the Edinburgh Tram line. 'This resulted in an emergency shutdown of the overhead power cables, as if the flags or banners touched or came near these items, the electricity would have arced, causing serious injury or worse. 'It's essential that we have agreed routes with sufficient notice, so that safety measures can be put in place in advance, as this caused frantic calls between police and Edinburgh Trams to enable the shutdown.' A spokesperson for Edinburgh Trams confirmed that the power lines were shut down for 15 minutes on Saturday over safety concerns. Sergeant Robinson also said the 'number, ability and knowledge' of the protest stewards was concerning to the police service. He said Police Scotland was willing to arrange third-party free training sessions to 'upskill' stewards. The organisers of the event were not present, having asked if the council sub-committee meeting could be delayed so they could attend. Council officers proposed that the routes of the pro-Palestine rally on the 2nd be swapped with one on the 9th, in order to space out the demonstrations happening on that day. Councillors elected not to swap the routes, but modified the route of the march on the 9th to keep it away from the Edinburgh Trams infrastructure. Liberal Democrat councillor Jack Caldwell asked if the organisers could be sanctioned for not attending the sub-committee meeting or for amending the routes of past demonstrations. Council officer Max Mitchell replied: 'This is not a license application, notification of parades. There is no sanction for not attending committee. 'What the act simply says is that if the council makes an order, and the organiser departs from the terms of that order, that would potentially become a matter for Police Scotland, and would become a statutory offence under the act.' Sergeant Robinson said the police would only charge organisers as a last resort, continuing to say: 'We are very practical. We take an informed, reasonable approach. 'We're looking to do the, you know, engage encourage educate, before we really go down that route. 'I very much stress that we do not want to charge people for exercising their right [to protest], but it is a qualified right.' Addressing the request by council officers to swap the routes of the two marches, Conservative councillor and sub-committee convener Joanna Mowat said: 'I would be mindful not to alter their fundamental structure, as in, they want to go up to the American consulate. 'I don't know why they want to go on the second of August, but that's not relevant for us. 'I would be minded, because we are going to have to do something on the ninth, which is quite a big change that we're going to have to make to their routes, that I wouldn't alter the dates. 'I think public safety have asked us to do that, but I'm not sure we have justification to do that.' For the march on the 9th, committee agreed a new route intended to keep protesters away from the trams, which would run from Waverley Bridge and up Market Street, turning left at the Mound. The previous route had an ambiguous staging area of the Mound itself, which could take protesters close to the tramway at the junction with Princes Street. Cllr Mowat said: 'They shouldn't be going anywhere near tram lines with their banners at that point. 'I mean, obviously that's going to be a conversation public safety are going to have to have with them, because the next thing we're going to have to say is that there will be a no banners march if they're going anywhere near the tram line.' By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
