Ireland: Taxi driver ran down fare-dodge passengerA taxi driver “snapped” and ran down a passenger who left the taxi without paying the fare, a court has heard.
David Ryan (56) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to Eoin Daly at Carysfort Park, Blackrock on April 7, 2011.
Garda Geraldine McManigan told Paul Carroll BL, prosecuting, that the victim suffered fractures to his ankle which had affected his ability to play rugby at senior level in university.
Medical reports stated that his injuries left him with a 20 per cent greater risk of developing arthritis but that this should have shown up in a two-year period after the injury and has not developed.
Mr Daly was on crutches for months but has since gone back to playing rugby.
In his victim impact report he said he accepts he was wrong to run away from the taxi and was embarrassed by that. He suffered flashbacks and has spent €4,492 on physiotherapy.
Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the sentence until July next to clarify if restorative justice would be appropriate.
Ryan of Linfield Park, Clondalkin had picked up Mr Daly and another passenger at around three in the morning. He drove them to the Carysfort Park area and the two passengers then ran from the taxi without paying the fare.
The taxi driver drove his car onto a footpath and across the park, swerving from side to side.
A witness from a nearby house described seeing one man running across the green with a car “in hot pursuit”.
The car hit Mr Daly and he fell to the ground. Ryan got out of this taxi and stood over him and started gesticulating and arguing with him about the fare before driving off.
Gardai arrested Ryan two weeks later and he admitted there had been an incident. He denied knocking the victim down and said Mr Daly had fallen down.
Steven Dixon BL, defending, said his client is a father of four who has worked as a taxi driver for the last two decades.
Counsel said Ryan snapped on the night and did something dangerous to get his fare. “He is saddened and disgusted with himself,” said Mr Dixon.
source:
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/co ... 10274.html
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