A PRIVATE hire car driver has been banned after he was found guilty of racist abuse towards another driver.

Glasgow licensing chiefs handed a three-month suspension to Robert Anderson following a complaint from Police Scotland.

His comments included "disgusting" remarks about mosque shootings in New Zealand.

An officer told councillors that Anderson had been fined £800 in July. She said two passengers had complained after the driver aimed abuse at a passing vehicle during an incident in March that year.

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The officer said she didn't know what had been accepted in court but it had been alleged the man had shouted "black b*******" and: "They shouldn't allow them in our country if they can't abide by our rules."

The passengers, she added, had also claimed Anderson had referred to that month's mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, saying "about time something happened to those rats".

There were "more comments along similar lines". Police Scotland said Anderson, whose charge included a religious aggravation, was "no longer a fit and proper person to hold a licence".

Anderson claimed the incident was "fabricated", saying it had been said in court that someone had pulled out on him and he'd abused them out of the window. He said the passengers had complained three days later.

"I must have been an absolute madman to come up with that," he added, describing the quotes as "disgusting". "It's not my character, it never has been my character and it never will be my character."

He said he feels bad for taxi drivers, adding there's "no better persecution in this day and age than that of racial or religious". "I've spent many a sleepless night thinking why I've been personally persecuted."

Anderson also said he was an advocate for CCTV in taxis to protect drivers and the public.

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He said he was "completely innocent" but added he accepted the judge's decision.

Bailie John Kane, chairing the hearing, said: "The problem we have is you've been convicted. A judge has listened to the evidence and decided there was sufficient proof you did this."

Councillor Elspeth Kerr had called for his licence to be suspended for the unexpired portion of its duration. But an amendment, put forward by Bailie Kane, to ban for three months was voted through.