A WOULD-be good Samaritan, who drove three women from Glasgow to Hamilton in his private hire car, has been suspended because he failed to follow policy.

Alan Meechan, who has been driving for 20 years, was parked outside Queen Street station in July this year when a young woman approached him asking how much it would be to take her and her two friends home.

She had already approached a taxi driver who said the price would be between £40 and £60. Mr Meechan agreed to take the group to Hamilton for £18.

He appeared before the licensing board on Wednesday morning.

Read more: Cabbie suspended after swearing at parking warden

Mr Meechan said: “My priority was to get the girls home safely and away from the city centre.

“If one of the girls was my daughter I would like to think someone else in my position would do the same thing.

“When I got them home safe and sound I knew I had done my job, even though I know I shouldn’t have done it.

“It was quiet that night. One of the girls came running up to me and said the taxi driver was going to cost between £40 and £60.

“I said I would not charge that much and they got in.”

Councillor Martha Wardrop said: “You have been a driver for 20 years and know that you can only take a passenger if they pre-book.

“Had you followed the rules you could have got the job anyway.”

Members agreed to suspend Mr Meechan’s licence for two weeks.