A good samaritan taxi driver, who came to aid of a colleague, was left with a dislocated shoulder and knee injuries after he was violently thrown to the ground in a “thuggish” and racist attack, the Galway District Court heard yesterday.
The injured party told Judge Mary Fahy that he had seen another taxi driver in trouble, stopped his vehicle, and got out to give assistance. However, the 26-year-old defendant then turned on him leaving him with injuries which still affect his work.
Michael Blaszczak with an address at 35 Fionn Uisce, Doughiska, pleaded guilty to threatening and abusive behaviour and the assault of Mr Frank Brave causing him harm at Forster Street on September 8, 2009. A charge of criminal damage and assault was withdrawn.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that at 2am Blaszczak had kicked a taxi which was in slow moving traffic. The driver stopped the taxi and got out to confront the defendant and received a barrage of racist remarks in return. Mr Brave, who was driving by the scene, saw what was happening and attempted to come to the other taxi man’s aid. The inspector said that Blaszczak then turned on Mr Brave and pushed him “hard to the ground”. As a result of the incident Mr Brave suffered a dislocated shoulder and a knee injury.
Defence solicitor Brian Gilmartin said that his client fully accepted that he had “acted stupidly”. The court heard that the Polish national has been in the country for five years and had worked in the building trade but was now unemployed.
Mr Brave then told Judge Fahy that following the incident he had been out of work for five weeks and that he is still only working part-time as he finds it difficult to use the hand brake because of the injury to his shoulder.
“He acted in a thuggish manner and as a result this hardworking man is out of work,” said Judge Fahy, who added that as the defendant had been unable to take up bail it was unlikely that he would have any compensation to offer.
Inspector White then told the court that the defendant has nine previous convictions which includes an eight month sentence imposed in November 2008 for six counts of theft and a possession of drugs offence. He was also fined €300 for public order offences in September 2006.
“There is nothing in this man’s favour and he has nothing to offer this man [Mr Brave] who just came to the assistance of the other taxi driver, he was being a good samaritan,” said Judge Fahy.
For the assault causing harm Blaszczak was convicted and sentenced to 11 months in jail and a one month sentence to run concurrently, was imposed for the remaining charge. The sentence was back-dated to October 1, 2009.
