Judge overrules Garda objection to taxi licence for former robberObjections by the Garda to the granting of a taxi licence to a man with a conviction in connection with armed robbery were overruled yesterday by a District Court judge.
Dublin District Court heard yesterday that Mr Derek Hempenstall, Iona Drive, Dublin, had not been in trouble before or since and was hoping to take over his father's taxi business. However, the Garda opposed this and he appealed to the District Court.
He told Judge Clare Leonard that he had served six months of his sentence and since then had worked gainfully as a chef in a number of establishments around Dublin.
His probation officer had written a glowing report saying he was fully rehabilitated and had recommended him as a person who would be suitable to have a taxi licence.
Gardaí accepted he was not the main mover in the gang he became involved in.
Judge Leonard said his conviction was at the serious end of the criminal scale but it was to his credit that he had not come to Garda notice since coming out of prison and had been gainfully employed.
"It would look like this is an incident we can all decide is in his past, " the judge said, granting his appeal.
During his trial on the armed robbery charges in 1996, the Circuit Court heard Mr Hempenstall needed money to save a restaurant he ran in Bolton Street, Dublin. He acted as a driver for the gang.
Mr Hempenstall's criminal career came to an end after November 18th, 1994, when the gang robbed the Clane post office and tried to get away in a Ford Fiesta which Mr Hempenstall had bought the day before for £85.