pensioners including a 91-year-old woman, an 82-year-old man and care home workers after testing positive last December. Leadbetter, 59, also ferried desperately ill passengers to and from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary who were attending for dialysis treatment while failing to wear a protective mask.
The cabbie tested positive for coronavirus the day after his wife was diagnosed with the killer disease and had been rushed into hospital for urgent treatment.
Leadbetter, from Musselburgh, East Lothian, was caught out after a neighbour heard of his positive test result and phoned his employers at Central Taxis to air their concerns.