Man gave taxi driver ‘open handed slap’ during row over fare, court told

A man assaulted a taxi driver as he believed he was being “ripped off” over the fare charged for his journey, Ennis District Court has heard.

Judge Patrick Durcan imposed a four month suspended sentence on Samir Parker (23), of Aughanteeroe, Gort Road, Ennis, for the assault on Ousmane Aboulaye on April 21st, 2019 at a service station near Ennis, Co Clare.

Judge Durcan said Parker was a “lucky man” not to be going straight to jail and that taxi drivers deserved protection. “If you are not happy with a fare, you don’t assault a taxi-driver,” he said.

Parker pleaded guilty to the assault, which Sgt Aiden Lonergan said involved “an open handed slap to the face”.

Parker’s solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client denied slapping Mr Aboulaye but acccepted there was “‘a bit of jostling” between them in the car.

Mr Hassett said Parker flagged down a taxi in Limerick and agreed a price of €55, which he paid upfront, for the trip of some 40km to Ennis.

However, Mr Hassett said that as the meter passed €55 mark, the driver said the fare would be €65 and then later it rose to €75.

“Mr Parker thought he was being ripped off. The two had words and there was a bit of jostling,” said Mr Hassett, who added that the driver told others at a service station that his passenger was refusing to pay his fare.

“That annoyed Mr Parker and he lost his temper.”

Mr Hasset said it was a “consumer issue” rather than “a case of a man falling asleep in a taxi and refusing to pay”.