A taxi-driver who refused to take a woman on a short trip worth a €5 fare and told her to walk instead has been fined €100 at Galway District Court.
Seán Lydon, Highfield Park, Galway, was prosecuted under Public Service Vehicle legislation for failing to comply with a reasonable requirement.
Ms Linda Watts gave evidence that she got into Lydon's taxi at the taxi rank in Eyre Square on October 1st last at 1 p.m. and asked him to take her to Tesco at Galway Shopping Centre, Headford Road, Galway, he told her it was just a two-minute walk and he wasn't going to waste his time taking her there.
She took the registration and plate number of his car. A taxi firm told her Lydon was a private operator and was advised to ring Sgt Tony McHugh, a public service vehicle inspector, at Galway Garda station.
In court, Lydon said he could not recall the incident and there were plenty of other cars like his in the rank that day.
Judge John O'Neill said he believed Ms Watts's version of events and he convicted and fined Lydon €100.
Man fined for illegal shop signs
The maximum penalty of €1,500 was imposed at Galway District Court yesterday on a Galway city businessman who erected signs at of his shop without planning permission.
Tom Naughton, N17 Electrical and Furniture Superstore, Headford Road, Galway, had erected the signs without planning permission and had applied for retention in January 2002 but this had been refused by Galway City Council.
A City Council planning inspector, Ms Cathy Keane, visited the premises last July and found there was no planning permission for the signs. She issued an enforce- ment notice, stating they required planning permission and she asked the owner to take them down.
She again inspected the premises last Tuesday and the signs were still in place.
Judge O'Neill fined Naughton €1,500, plus €70 costs to the council.
Jury in rape trial discharged
The trial at the Central Criminal Court of a Mayo married man charged with raping and sexually assaulting two sisters has ended with the jury being discharged.
Mr Justice O'Higgins discharged the jury on day four of the hearing following submissions by Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, defending. A new date for the trial will be fixed later.
The 35-year-old man is pleading not guilty to one count of rape, one of having unlawful carnal knowledge, two of attempted unlawful carnal knowledge and six of sexually assaulting the older sister on dates between April 1994 and September 1995 when she was 14.
He also denies a count of rape, one of oral rape, nine of attempted unlawful carnal knowledge, one of having unlawful carnal knowledge and three of sexually assaulting the younger sister between September 1998 and May 1999 when she was aged 13 and 14.
Addict jailed for eight years
A chronic heroin addict has been jailed for eight years for theft while on bail, which he said was because of pressure from a drugs- dealer to pay him for a missing drugs consignment.
At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Des Hogan was told David Barry twice terrorised staff at the EBS in Artane, Dublin, and stole 13 mobile phones and cash from Cellular World in Killester.