Taxi driver fined €400 for cursing at garda

A taxi driver who was told he could not pass the entrance to the Marquee the night The Prodigy played last summer denied saying “Fuck you, boy” to the garda.

Kevin Crowley, of 129 Rosewood, Ballincollig, Co Cork, pleaded not guilty at Cork District Court yesterday to a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour at 6.30pm on July 2, 2014, at Monahan Rd, Cork.

Crowley, aged 42, said he would not speak to anybody like that, and certainly not a garda.

Garda Tony Kelliher testified that the driver was told the link road between Monahan and Centre Park Roads was closed. The link road is the location for the Marquee entrance. He said the driver said, “You can’t stop me, fuck you, boy” and also said, “Fuck you, you can’t stop me from doing my job.”

Mr Crowley testified: “Only a crazy person would speak like this. What, a self-employed man would put his livelihood at risk like that? I am more intelligent than that.”

He said he told the guard he was collecting a fare at the Marina Commercial Park and this was his most direct route. He said the guard would not reply when he asked why the road was closed and would not reply when he asked him why he had taken his driving licence to look at it.

Judge Leo Malone convicted and fined the defendant €400.