A MAN who assaulted a taxi driver after stating he had no money to pay the fare has been fined a total of €900 at Letterkenny District Court.
Brandon Ndlovu faced a charge of assault and failing to pay the fare after having asked the driver to take him from Dunfanaghy to Letterkenny.
Detailing evidence in the case, Sergeant Jim Collins said Gardai had received a call from the injured party at around 12.45am on November 11, 2024, who told them he had been assaulted.
He had picked up the defendant in Dunfanaghy and had been asked to drive him to Letterkenny. Upon arriving at an apartment at Pearse House, Pearse Road, defendant said he had no money and had tried to gain access to the apartment where his mother resided.
The taxi fare amounted to just over €71, the court heard.
Ndlovu then proceeded to assault the taxi driver by punching him in the face.
Judge Ciaran Liddy was told that the defendant had previous convictions for public order offences.
Defending solicitor, Maureen Gallagher said her client had gone to his mother’s place of residence in order to get money to pay the fare.
When he failed to get an answer, he had started throwing stones at the window of the apartment to waken his mother.
At that point, the taxi driver thought he was trying to depart the scene and it was then that the altercation occurred.
Ms Gallagher said her client had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and was now on medication and turning his life around. He was working part-time as a chef.
Judge Liddy fined the defendant €700 on the assault charge and €200 on the charge of non payment of the taxi fare.
