A Fife taxi driver has spoken out about her ongoing trauma after being robbed at knifepoint by a passenger who was already on bail for a similar attack just weeks earlier.
On 9 May, driver Kay Rooney was held up during a fare by Claire Duncan, a crack addict who had appeared in court for another near-identical robbery only five weeks prior.
Kay described how Duncan, sitting in the back seat, “lunged across so quickly” and pressed a “massive breadknife” against her throat while shouting: “Give me your money, don’t be a bitch.”
During the violent struggle, Kay suffered a cut to her hand and friction burns. “I thought it was game over — I thought she was going to kill me,” she recalled tearfully. “I begged her, ‘You don’t want to do this, I’ve got kids,’ but she didn’t care.”
Duncan made off with Kay’s cash takings, phone chargers, and ID before being caught attempting to rob another taxi driver. She later appeared in court, where she was sentenced to 40 months in prison, reduced from a potential five-year term due to an early guilty plea.
Kay criticised the justice system’s handling of the case:
“They made the wrong call, they let her out. I could have died. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”
A Pattern of Violence Against Taxi Drivers in Fife and Tayside
The case has reignited concerns over a growing “tide of violence” targeting cab drivers in Fife and Tayside.
- January incident – Staff at Kelty Taxis were reportedly “held in their office for 45 minutes” by a thug issuing “chilling death threats.”
- Methil robbery – A career criminal told a driver he had a knife and robbed him in what police described as an “appalling assault and robbery.”
- Firearm threat – Another driver had an imitation gun “pressed against his head” during a robbery attempt.
- Fatal case – Dundee driver Mark Ward was murdered by a lifelong criminal who was out on five bail orders at the time.
- Other assaults – Drivers have been “bitten on the face,” “terrified with firearms,” and in one 2023 case, a female driver was sexually assaulted while working alone at night.
In response, Dundee taxi drivers have begun calling for self-defence training, saying they fear for their safety every time they go out on a job.
‘I Still Feel the Knife on My Throat’
Kay has since changed her work routine, now accepting only trusted contracts and regular customers. However, she continues to struggle with the psychological impact of the attack.
“I have terrible, terrible nightmares,” she said. “Everybody is a potential for me now. I still feel the knife on my throat.”
Fife Council said it was aware of the incidents and that driver safety is taken extremely seriously. A spokesperson confirmed all licensed taxi and private hire drivers must complete a safety course that covers identifying risky situations and how to respond calmly and securely.
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