A taxi-driver who removed part of a clamp and drove off with the rest of it still on his car has paid compensation for the damage, a court heard yesterday.
Finbarr Onuke (34), Ravenswood Rise, Clonsilla, Dublin, was also fined €600 for breach of the peace arising out of a confrontation with a clamper over the incident at Clare Street on September 11th, 2002.
Dublin District Court heard last October how Onuke had illegally parked his cab in a lay-by near the dental hospital where he was attending for a tooth extraction on the day.
He arrived back to find two clamps on his car and, with the help of a passer-by, managed to remove one of the clamps and had the second partly off when the clampers arrived.
There was a brief altercation before Onuke started driving away with one of the clamp hooks still attached. Another clamper van appeared and blocked his escape, and by then gardaí were on the scene.
Onuke pleaded guilty to assaulting the clamper, criminal damage and breach of the peace.
Judge Gerard Haughton adjourned sentencing until yesterday to allow Onuke come up with compensation of €1,750 (the cost of a set of clamps less VAT).
After hearing the money had been paid, he imposed a fine of €600 on the breach of the peace charge, with the other two charges taken into account.