Garda innocent in taxi fare dispute

A garda who ended up on trial after he resolved a dispute between a taxi driver and a passenger over a €6.25 fare has been cleared of wrongdoing.

Garda Padraig Dennehy, who is attached to Mountjoy station, was accused of assault and theft arising out of an incident in Dublin just after 4am on March 3, 2013.

He was acquitted by Judge Marian O’Leary at Dublin District Court after submissions from defence barrister Michael Bowman SC that there was no evidence that he acted dishonestly when he took money from Rimas Bastys and gave it to taxi driver Nadeem Mirza. Judge O’Leary dismissed the case, saying she was satisfied Garda Dennehy was not guilty on all charges.