A Kildare security man who refused to pay a taxi fair and then racially abused the driver was fined €300 at Galway District Court last week.
Emmet Prior (38 ) with an address at 5 William Street, Athy, Kildare, appeared before Judge Mary Fahy and pleaded guilty to obtaining the services of Francis Oseghale, to the value of €17, and then making off without paying at Dominick Street on October 11, 2007. A charge of threatening and abusive behaviour was withdrawn.
Inspector Ernie White told the court that at 11.50pm gardai were called by a taxi driver who had picked up the defendant in Dominick Street and brought him to Barna. When Mr Oseghale requested the payment of the €17 fare the defendant refused and told him: “I am not paying a f***ing n****r anything”.
Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn said that his client felt that he had been overcharged for this journey. He added that the defendant did have drink taken but that the matter had been finalised soon after the gardai were called. Mr MacLynn said that Prior, who is a part-time security man, had €17 on him in court and was willing to pay an additional €50.
“He is lucky he pleaded guilty,” said Judge Mary Fahy adding that the defendant had also been very abusive. She warned that if the other charge had not been withdrawn the defendant would have been looking at a custodial sentence.
“You must remind him to behave. If he engages the services of a taxi and has an issue with the fare he can get in touch with the Taxi Regulator or the driver’s boss but don’t not pay and then abuse him,” Judge Fahy said before convicting and fining the defendant €300 with three months to pay.
