Tattoo leads gardaí to man who robbed taxi drivers

A "MUM RIP" tattoo has led to a three years consecutive sentence for a man who robbed two taxi drivers.

Gary Simpson (aged 20) was recognised by gardaí through his "MUM RIP" tattoo and will serve the three year term consecutive to his current two years robbery sentence which expires in September 2008.

Simpson, of Shangan Road, Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbing two taxi drivers in Ballymun on dates in January 2007. He has 71 previous convictions,

Judge Katherine Delahunt told him: "This was a particularly nasty case involving taxi drivers going about their lawful business trying to make a living."

Judge Delahunt imposed a sentence of three years detention to be served on the termination of his current sentence with the final year suspended on conditions.

Garda Sean Sillery told prosecuting counsel, Mr Dominic McGinn BL, that Simpson threatened the drivers with a knife after flagging them down posing as a customer.

He got away with €170 from a 68-year-old driver and €300 from another driver.

Garda Sillery said gardaí recognised Simpson’s "MUM RIP" tattoo from descriptions given by the taxi drivers and CCTV footage of the robberies.

Simpson admitted the robberies when arrested and told gardaí he wished to apologise to the taxi drivers.

Gda Sillery agreed with defence counsel, Ms Grainne O’Neill BL, that Simpson's mother had died when he was three-years-old and he had told the taxi drivers about her death while he posed as a customer.

Ms O’Neill said Simpson had a very dysfunctional upbringing following his mother’s death. He had gone into the care of his aunt and eventually ended up living rough on the streets.

She said he had recently become a father but didn’t see his son because he had agreed with the child’s mother that he should not be brought to prison.

Ms O’Neill said Simpson had been making considerable progress in recent times and asked the court to build a period of supervision by the probation services into his sentence.