A taxi driver who denied causing an argument at a rank in Eyre Square over queue skipping and claimed that he had been discriminated against was convicted and fined €500 at Galway District Court this week.
Timothy Ogunrinde (38 ) with an address at 148 Tur Uisce, Doughiska, appeared last Monday charged with threatening and abusive behaviour at Eyre Square on March 1, 2009.
Garda Paul McNulty said that at 2.25am he heard shouting coming from the taxi rank outside Richardson’s pub. He then saw two men standing by a taxi which was parked in the middle of the street. The defendant, a non Irish national, was heard shouting “f**k you, f**k you”. When Garda McNulty went over to speak to him Ogunrinde continued to be agressive. The taxi was later moved in off the road and the defendant was arrested.
Ogunrinde, representing himself, took the stand and said under oath that another taxi had been trying to jump the queue. When he tried to prevent this manouvre another taxi, in front of him, stopped and the driver got out, walked over, and verbally abused him.
“He said I was not allowed in this country. He used the F word to me and then the officer said I was under arrest. It was the other guy who walked six or seven steps towards me. Why wasn’t he arrested? The charge is not true,” said Ogunrinde angrily.
Inspector White then put it to the defendant that it had been he who had tried to skip the queue and caused the argument. “You were shouting F you loudly and when the garda came you continued. You were the only one shouting,” he said.
“It’s not true... I was being discriminated against,” replied Ogunrinde.
“That doesn’t excuse you,” said Judge Fahy who added that if he felt discriminated against there were other ways to deal with it instead of shouting.
“He was the one shouting,” the defendant gruffly replied.
“I am going to convict as he has no case. He is very aggressive in this court never mind what he would be like in Eyre Square,” said Judge Fahy before ordering the defendant to be quiet.
The court heard that the defendant has previous convictions in June 2005 for driving without insurance, having no NCT, and non display of the disc for which he was disqualifed for two years.
Judge Fahy said that it was totally unacceptable that anyone, particularly taxi drivers who are carrying members of the public, should behave in such a way. She convicted and fined the defendant €500 with two months to pay.
