A TAXI driver has been sacked after a 17-year-old passenger recorded him calling her “every paedophile’s dream”.
The Scots teen, who wishes to remain anonymous, was in a Network Private Hire taxi on Monday evening when the driver made the comments.
The quick-thinking youngster began recording the driver speaking after becoming uncomfortable with the situation during the taxi journey home in Glasgow.
In the video, no visuals are seen as the teen tried to conceal her phone, but after the teen allegedly told the man she was 17-years-old the driver can be heard saying: “Are you?”
“Oh my god.
“Every paedophile’s dream.
“That’s a joke hen, right.
“That’s a joke, if you think about it.”
The youngster can be heard uncomfortably responding at one point just mumbling “mmm huh” but remains quiet to his reference to paedophiles.
Private Network Hire today confirmed they have sacked the driver after being made aware of the incident.
Community group No1seems2care shared the video on Facebook on Tuesday, writing: “Imagine your teenage daughter was in a taxi and the driver asks her age, she says 17 and the driver says he thought she was 12, every paedophile’s dream, and then says that’s a joke hen.
“As parents do you think this is a joke?
“Do you think this is funny?
“Do you think this is appropriate?
“The girl’s mother doesn’t and neither do we.
“It’s beyond creepy, it’s beyond inappropriate – it’s sickening.
“Please talk to your children about this type of stuff, please warn them about this type of stuff.
“We hope this gets back to the taxi driver and is also a warning to any taxi driver who thinks this is appropriate.”
The mother of the teen said she was “Sick to my stomach”, adding: “He kept looking back at her while driving and almost lost control at one point.
“At her destination she had to tell him to stop three times then he said he didn’t have his card reader and she had to bank transfer into his personal bank.”
Hundreds of Scots have commented on the shocking audio video after being disgusted by the driver’s comments.
Clare Woods said: “I hope you’ve reported this now.
“Frightening and sickening.
“She’ll be afraid to get in a taxi ever again.”
Leanne Quigley said: “Paedophile’s dream?
“I’d be his worst f**king nightmare if that was my wean.
“Honestly, what a creep.
“I’ve heard nothing but bad stuff about this company these days and it’s always inappropriate behaviour towards females, they need to get it sorted.
“Can’t imagine how angry this girl’s mum must be feeling about this, hope they’re both doing ok.”
Irenewood Marshall said: “That’s horrendous, some taxi drivers take vulnerable children to school.
“I hope he’s not one of them, dirty creep.”
Michelle McCluskey added: “So inappropriate.
“The girl must have felt quite uncomfortable after that.
“I would be 17, he shouldn’t be asking for ages”.
A spokesperson for Network Private Hire said: “We can confirm that we do not tolerate any such behaviour and took swift and decisive action.”
A spokesperson for No1seems2care today said: “The mother specifically uses taxis for her daughter to keep her safe so when this incident occurred it shook her trust.
“When the teenager was picked up the taxi driver made her feel uncomfortable to the point where she activated the video on her mobile phone for a level of comfort and confidence.
“The girl was alarmed, she was understandably disturbed by this driver’s comments and course of behaviour.”
“Paedophilia is no joke, it’s no laughing matter and it’s definitely not a subject of conversation to have between a taxi driver and a teenage passenger travelling alone.”
Private Network Hire management suspended the driver and carried out an investigation as soon as they were made aware of the video.
As a result, the driver was sacked and the company reported him to Glasgow City Council’s licensing department.
Speaking today, a spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “We have received notice of this complaint and it will be dealt with in the proper manner.”
