A HILL OF Beath grandfather hailed Fife Council's scheme to put CCTV cameras in cabs after a "horrendous" incident at his home.

Colin Ridgley, 48, who drives for Kelty Taxis, said he was left shaken after a woman confronted him and hurled threats and abuse.

And he reckoned the images captured on camera forced her to admit her guilt when the case called at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last week.

Mr Ridgley, who is also the firm's contracts and logistics manager, said: "The video camera system is working and it's catching people.

"The police encouraged me to go ahead with the case and the council's licensing enforcement officer, Donald Jenks, knows all about it too.

"I'm glad it works and it tells the public they can't pick on or attack a taxi driver and get away with it."

In court on Tuesday, Linda Mary Fleetham, 52, of Sinclair Drive in Cowdenbeath, was fined £270 after pleading guilty to an amended charge.

She admitted, at an address in Hill of Beath on November 27 last year, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause fear or alarm by shouting, swearing and uttering offensive remarks.

Part of the charge that alleged she struck and damaged the taxi was dropped by the crown.

Mr Ridgley said Fleetham drove up to his home and confronted him because he had taken a job that her friends used to do.

He said she was aggressive, hurled abuse and threatened him while trying to get at him while he sat in the cab.

Mr Ridgley said: "I was left really shaken as you don't expect a woman to act in that way.

"She pleaded guilty but she had no choice as it was all there in the video evidence."

Chair of Fife Licensing Board, Bob Young, said: "It just shows you, the system does work.

"Obviously you hope the cameras will never have to be used but the fact they were and that this person was caught and dealt with means it was a good capture.

"Along with the police, I met with the procurator fiscal and they agreed they would use CCTV images as evidence if it was clear so this is a good result.

"I think the system gives taxi drivers the security they need but also for passengers. If we did have an unfortunate incident where a taxi driver was not behaving it can provide that evidence."

Cllr Young said the introduction of cameras in cabs had helped improve safety but also curbed the number of frauds.

He explained: "Before the CCTV came in, you were talking about hundreds of run-offs a year with folk bailing out and not paying their fares.

"That dropped to one person in the first year, and he got caught! The numbers have dropped and they've stayed that way."

Mr Ridgley said he was glad the case was over and said: "I haven't done anything wrong but it's put me under so much stress. It's been horrendous.

"I've always been a working person. I was in Rosyth Dockyard for 14 years, I was then a funeral director before I decided I wanted to do something different.

"But this last year has just been a nightmare."

Donald Jenks, the licensing enforcement officer for Fife Council, said: "Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, both Fife Council and Police Scotland promote taxis and private hire cars as a safe mode of transport and the provision of CCTV in taxis and private hire cars can help reduce crime associated with the taxi trade where drivers are working alone.

"About 350 cameras have been provided to taxis and private hire cars across Fife, following a successful joint pilot in Dunfermline early last year."