Judge allows teenager's taxi hijack case to be sent to higher court

A Dublin youth has been sent forward for trial over a violent taxi hijacking in Dublin.

The driver, a 59-year-old man, was taken to St James’s Hospital by ambulance for treatment to serious head and facial injuries sustained at approximately 1am on May 5 at Rutland Grove in Crumlin.

He received several blows, was dragged from his car and a phone cable was used in an attempt to strangle him, it has been alleged.

The now 18-year-old youth was charged with assault causing harm to the driver, criminal damage, unlawful seizure of his car and robbing him of €50, the court heard. He was aged 17, a juvenile, when he was charged.

The teenage boy, who is in custody on remand, appeared before Judge John Cheatle at the Dublin Children’s Court where he was served with a book of evidence.

Judge Cheatle acceded to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ request to send the youth forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face his next hearing on November 8.

Earlier, it was held the case was too serious to be dealt with in the Children’s Court and it had to returned for trial to the Circuit Court which has tougher sentencing powers.

In evidence, Garda Gary Cleary alleged the taxi man collected two males and two females and drove them to Rutland Grove.

It stopped and a teenager in the front passenger seat “punched the driver a number of times”.

Another passenger used a suspected phone charger cable and attempted to strangle the driver, the Garda alleged.

He was punched repeatedly and “dragged” out of the car and assaulted as he was on the ground, the court heard.

Garda Cleary said the driver was bleeding heavily and was hospitalised for three days. He was bleeding heavily and suffered a broken nose.

Footage of the incident was captured on an internal camera in the car and was shown during a preliminary hearing.

The court heard the boy had also spent two periods in secure care units because he was a danger to himself and others. His mother had addiction problems and he was “at the highest end of vulnerability”.

The court heard he had a traumatic life and this led to care placements breaking down. He had been staying in an emergency shelter hostel at the time of the taxi robbery.

His solicitor had said the youth had taken drugs at the time of the incident and intended to plead guilty. However, jurisdiction was refused.

Another male is before the adult courts in connection with the incident.