A DAD has told of his months of anguish after being cleared of a charge of sexually assaulting a woman.

A charge against William Grant was dropped. But the Stevenston taxi driver says he almost lost his home and livelihood.

William appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on September 28 following allegations that he had placed his hands under a woman’s clothing.

Due to legal reasons, we are unable to name the woman and her daughter involved in the allegations.

William pleaded not guilty to the charge and his plea was accepted by the prosecutor.

But the experience has taken an emotional toll on the 57-year-old and he says he now feels vulnerable driving his taxi.

William said: “I’ve been driving taxis for 36 years. “I’ve not worked since this.

“I want to establish why someone would do that.

“I’m vulnerable in my taxi now.

“I’m getting a camera put in my taxi to protect myself.

“If there was any truth in that they wouldn’t have accepted my not guilty in court without even asking me any questions.

“She couldn’t even name a date when I was supposed to have assaulted her.

“The embarrassment was unbelievable.

“I own two taxis.

“I could have lost everything.”

The allegations followed a complaint William made about the woman’s daughter to her employer about her care of an OAP.

The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald contacted the employer who received the complaint from Mr Grant, who confirmed it was ‘unfounded’.

The Care Commission confirmed this ruling.