A man who refused to pay a taxi fare and then held a shotgun to the neck of the taxi driver and threatened to kill him, after the driver went to his house to look for the fare, was before Castlebar District Court on Wednesday.
Garda John Melia outlined that on Monday April 27 at 2.35am Tom McHale, Derryhick, Parke, Castlebar, got a taxi from outside Cox’s bar to bring him home. McHale had been in town that night since 7pm where he consumed eight pints of Guinness and five vodkas. The taxi fare came to €30.45. McHale went into the house as he told Morris Ogboerha, a Nigerian taxi driver that he was going to get the money but did not come out. Mr Ogboerha went to the door to look for the money and McHale emerged at the door with a wooden handled, large, single barrel shotgun which he held to the right side of the driver’s neck and threatened to kill him. The taxi driver managed to walk away and called the gardaí, before he then drove to the Garda station.
In a statement given to gardaí Mr Ogboerha said that he feared for his life as he thought that the gun was loaded and McHale was “serious” about killing him as McHale was drunk.
Garda Melia called to the home of the defendant at 4.30am. McHale showed the garda the gun which was in the bedroom. McHale, who is a member of Parke Gun Club, has a licence for the gun and it was not loaded at the time.
Defending solicitor Aidan Crowley said that the 48-year-old single man, who is a small farmer with no previous convictions, cannot explain why he acted like he did nor can he remember how it happened. He said McHale is hugely remorseful as it was obviously frightening for the taxi driver to be in a rural setting and to have a shotgun put to his neck. Mr Crowley said that the defendant had €1,000 in court to pay to the complainant, who was not present in court.
The judge said, noting that €1,000 was in court, which could be made available to the complainant, that she would remand McHale on continuing bail for sentencing on June 16 2010, and if Mr Ogboerha wants to be heard on the day then Judge Devins will hear him.
