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.

Mr Bastys, a Lithuanian national with an address in Blanchardstown, got into Mr Mirza’s taxi on O’Connell St and asked to be brought to Blanchardstown. He said the driver went the wrong way, approaching St Stephen’s Green, and was “taking me in circles” to make more money. He got out to talk to gardaí who had been diverting traffic from the scene of a car crash.

He claimed Garda Dennehy took €10 from his wallet and gave it to Mr Mirza. Mr Bastys said he understood it was a criminal offence not to pay for a taxi but claimed he felt robbed.

He maintained the garda gave him his receipt and change, and then told him to “fuck off”. He was then arrested, he said.

He disagreed that the garda had asked him three times to pay the driver.

Mr Mirza told the court he had not brought Mr Bastys near St Stephen’s Green and that he had been using the most direct route to go to Blanchardstown. He said Mr Bastys had been drunk and abusive and had been asked to two or three times by Gda Dennehy to pay up.