Sexually assaulted teen to sue minister

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell is being sued by a teenage girl who was sexually assaulted by the man at the centre of the X Case while he was working as a taxi driver.

Former businessman Sean O'Brien, a separated father of three, was given a licence to drive a taxi following his release from prison for unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl the X case.

Despite warnings from other taxi drivers about O'Brien, he continued to work as a driver. He went on to sexually assault another 14-year-old girl who had taken a fare with him.

She is now suing the Minister for Justice Mr McDowell for allowing her attacker to continue working as a taxi driver despite warnings that he was a convicted rapist.

O'Brien's licence was only revoked after he was charged with the second assault. He was jailed for 3½ years last year and the judge presiding over the case said he should never have been allowed to drive a public service vehicle.

Details of the civil suit emerged yesterday as taxi drivers warned of a deepening crisis in the industry, with claims of a rising number of sexual assaults and a sharp increase in general complaints.

The murder of underworld criminal Niall Mulvihill, who was working as a taxi driver, and the allegation that a taxi driver lured three young women to his home and raped them, have focussed attention on long standing claims by industry professionals that the threat to public safety has sharply increased following deregulation of the industry.

Taxi drivers claim that since deregulation there have been approximately eight rape or sexual assault allegations, up to seven incidents where drugs were discovered in taxis and two instances where drivers have been found dead from overdoses.

There has been a 300% increase in complaints in general, the National Taxi Drivers' Union said.

Opposition parties last night accused the Government of allowing the industry to descend into chaos since deregulation by failing to introduce minimum standards for drivers.

SIPTU, which represents hundreds of drivers, is also considering taking industrial action over the lack of a promised regulator for the taxi industry, though Transport Minister Seamus Brennan said the new regulator to police standards and issue licences will be appointed next month.

Fine Gael's Olivia Mitchell said public confidence had sunk to a new low and that as many as 20% of new drivers applying for licences had criminal records.

Labour's transport spokesperson Roisin Shorthall said parents were worried for the safety of their children at night and pointed out that the promised taxi regulator would have limited powers to tackle rogue drivers.