Man charged with friend’s death: ‘Tell his Ma I’m sorry’

A 24-year-old man told gardaí to "tell his Ma I’m sorry" when he was charged over the death of his best friend who died after an alleged taxi hijacking in Dublin.

Alex Doyle, a 25-year-old father of one from Cuffe St in Dublin City centre, was fatally injured after a Skoda Octavia taxi went out of control and crashed into a lamp post, at Mount Brown, near St James’s Hospital, at about 8.45am on Sunday.

The car then hit a line of parked vehicles at Mount Brown. Mr Doyle was thrown from the Skoda and one of his arms was severed. He died in hospital shortly after the accident.

Joseph Robinson, an unemployed man from Forbes Lane, Dublin 8, was arrested and held for questioning at Kilmainham Garda Station, where a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Doyle was put to him on Monday.

He was denied bail when he appeared at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Judge Michael Walsh heard there were disputes over claims that the taxi was hijacked, and that Mr Doyle and Mr Robinson were best friends who had been taking drugs with the car owner prior to the incident.

Garda David O’Hanlon told Judge Walsh that the accused replied: “Tell his Ma I’m sorry” and the court heard that there was an objection to bail due to the seriousness of the charge, which can carry a 10-year sentence.

Garda O’Hanlon said it would be alleged that the Octavia was hijacked at Oliver Bond St and that Robinson drove it “at extreme, excessive high speed through Dublin 8”.

He also told the court that Mr Robinson was dangerously overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road.

It was claimed that Mr Robinson “caused one oncoming vehicle to take avoidance action and crash in to a wall”.

Garda O’Hanlon said the drive culminated with the Octavia crashing into a lamp post and Mr Robinson was intoxicated to such an extent that he had been unable to control the car. He said the accused was arrested 300m from the crash, made admissions, and was captured on CCTV fleeing the scene.

Michael Kelleher, defending, said the accused had claimed he had been taking drugs with the taxi driver for some hours, and that he had consent to drive the man’s car. Garda O’Hanlon agreed that, when interviewed a second time, the taxi owner admitted he had been taking drugs with Mr Robinson.

However, he still maintains he had been assaulted and dragged from his car before it was taken without his consent.

Mr Robinson’s mother, Jackie, begged the court to release her son, claiming the deceased man’s mother is not objecting to bail.

She broke down as she told the court “it was just a tragedy what happened”. She confirmed her son and Mr Doyle were best friends, and that their families were very close.

She agreed with Mr Kelleher, who said her son had the support of her family and would honour his bail if he were released.

Judge Walsh offered condolences to the Doyle family, saying the accused man has the presumption of innocence.

However, he said that he was refusing bail due to the seriousness of the case.

Mr Robinson, who was granted free legal aid, has not yet indicated how he will plead and did not address the court.

He will face his next hearing today at Cloverhill District Court but it is expected that the case will be further adjourned for two to four weeks.