A private hire driver who admitted assaulting a child has been blocked from working in Glasgow.

Police Scotland objected to Graham Gordon’s bid to renew his licence after he was accused of kicking a 12-year old child, striking him to the head and dragging him across a road.

Glasgow’s licensing chairman, cllr Alex Wilson, ruled the application should be turned down, using his casting vote after councillors had been split on the decision.

The incident, which occurred in July 2020, went to court last Friday and, due to the short turnaround, Police Scotland had been unable to find out all the details.

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Sergeant Lisa Campbell told the licensing committee: “The applicant pleaded guilty to an amended charge of assault and a child aggravator attached to that.

“We have however been unable to find out what the disposal is or the update to the content of the charge.”

Mr Gordon said he had received an admonishment - a warning not to commit another crime, but no punishment. 

He added it was the first time he had ever been in court and told councillors he had been hit first and reacted. Mr Gordon also said his licence was clear and he had never had any issues while working as a private hire driver.

Cllr Wilson, seconded by bailie Thomas Kerr, moved that the application should be refused, however bailie Hanif Raja, seconded by bailie Jim Kavanagh, suggested granting the licence and issuing a warning to Mr Gordon.

Each proposal received three votes and cllr Wilson, as chairman, used his casting vote to reject the application to renew the licence for three years.