Donegal woman (24) jailed for role in hijacking taxi in Dublin
Woman who sat in back seat as driver was robbed and assaulted pleads guilty to unlawful seizure of taxi
Stock image
Stock image
Fiona Ferguson
December 14 2021 05:36 PM
A Donegal woman who was in the back seat of a taxi when her friend’s boyfriend and his brother robbed and assaulted the driver has been jailed for 20 months.
Nikkita Brogan (24) released the taxi driver’s seatbelt so the men could drag the taxi driver from his vehicle and assisted in reattaching the knob of the gearstick as the men attempted to start the taxi.
The court heard Brogan had accompanied her friend to Dublin to visit the brothers, Peter (26) and Jason (18) Collins, whom they were seeing at the time. Her friend, who was also in the taxi, has since died.
The two brothers were sentenced in December 2019 for robbery, assault causing harm and unlawful seizure of a car.
The court heard during their sentence hearing that Peter Collins wrapped a phone charger cable around the neck of the 60-year-old taxi man while his younger brother Jason Collins punched the man in the face and searched his pockets.
Peter Collins, of Collinstown Crescent, Clondalkin, Dublin, received four and a half years’ imprisonment. Jason Collins of Eden Quay, Dublin 1, received three and a half years’ imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended.
Brogan, of Croagh Patrick Avenue, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to unlawful seizure of a vehicle at Rutland Grove, Crumlin, Dublin, on May 6, 2019.
Sentencing Brogan today, Judge Melanie Greally noted that Brogan had played a role in the offence by unbuckling the taxi driver's seatbelt. She noted it was a serious offence which was accompanied by the assault of the taxi driver.
She noted Brogan, who has been in custody since January of this year, has consistently expressed her remorse and shame for her actions and has attempted to rehabilitate in custody. She has expressed a wish to become a better mother to her young son.
The judge handed down a 32-month sentence and suspended the final 12 months on a number of conditions.
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Detective Garda Caroline Kelly told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that the taxi driver picked up the two men and two women in the city centre and brought them to Crumlin.
He said as soon as he stated the fare a “rope” came from the back and around his neck choking him.
He said the man in the passenger seat began punching him and checking his pockets. He was thrown out of the taxi and another taxi driver came to his aid while the men tried to start his car.
The taxi driver said the girls had stayed in the back seat and while they did not threaten or assault him, they did not tell the lads to stop either.
A dashcam recorded the offence, and it was played for the court. Brogan could be seen leaning forward from the back to unclick the seatbelt before the taxi driver was pulled out of the car. She was also seen assisting in reattaching the gearstick knob.
The group were unable to restart the car and abandoned it but were arrested nearby.
Brogan, whose 76 previous convictions are mainly for shoplifting and who was on bail for theft offences at the time, accepted she was in the car and had unclicked the seatbelt. She is currently serving a three-month term for theft and is due for release in September.
She repeatedly said during interview that what had happened was a disgrace, shouldn’t have happened and she was sorry. She said she hoped that the taxi driver would be OK.
Paul O’Carroll SC, defending, said that Brogan and her friend came to Dublin on the bus to visit Jason Collins whom her friend was going out with. He said Brogan began going out with Peter for a very short time. He said they had met up on that evening and been drinking.
Mr Carroll handed in a letter of apology from Brogan and said she had been taking tablets and drinking a lot at the time of the offending. He said her prolific shoplifting convictions tied in with her “going off the rails”.
He said Brogan had indicated at all times that she would plead guilty but the case had been delayed when it was stated to the Court of Appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions in order to have a procedural matter related to the service of books of evidence clarified.
He said his client had not stood in the way of this.
WOMEN BANNED FROM LETTERKENNY RETAIL UNITS AFTER THEFT SPREE
December 8, 2020
TWO women have been banned from entering some of Letterkenny’s busiest retail units after appearing in court on a raft of theft charges.
Jodie Quill and Nakita Brogan, both aged 22, appeared before Letterkenny District Court on charges relating to offences on a range of dates between August and December 2020.
Judge Alan Mitchell banned the pair from entering retail units at Letterkenny Main Street Letterkenny Retail Park and Letterkenny Shopping Centre.
Among the charges faced by the duo are the theft of €250.82 worth of cosmetic products from Boots on Letterkenny Main Street on November 24 and the taking of €58 worth of cosmetics from Boots at Letterkenny Retail Park on November 27.
Other items taken in the spate include: t-shirts worth €45.23 from TK Maxx; perfume worth €85 from Boots; vodka to the value of €58.98 from Lidl, Pearse Road, Letterkenny in separate incidents on November 27 and 28; alcohol worth €17.49 from Tobin’s Service Station; Christmas lights worth €10 from Euro Giant on November 13; and confectionary worth €5 from Euro Giant.
On December 6, a bottle of Boost costing €1.66 was stolen from Dunnes Stores and a navy coat worth €108.50 was taken from Marks & Spencer on the same date.
There are also charges of bring intoxicated in a public place and of using threatening abusive or insulting language at Neil T Blaney Road, Letterkenny, on December 6.
Gardaí objected to bail in the case of each of the accused, which were heard separately.
Regarding Quill, Gardaí asked for her to be remanded in custody on the basis that the offences were committed while she was on bail.
“There are a plethora of similar offences and convictions of similar nature and there are grave concerns she will commit similar offences,” Sergeant Jim Collins said.
Solicitor Mr Kieran Dillon said that station bail had been granted to his client on one matter.
“Charges were available to be brought sooner and court could have dealt with them. There should be bail on stringent terms,” he said.
Quill was bailed on her own bond of €300 to reappear on January 11, 2021.
Quill has to reside at an address at Crievesmith, Letterkenny, must sign three times per week at Letterkenny Garda Station, be available at all times at a telephone number to be supplied to Gardaí and is to be of good behaviour and commit no offence.
Judge Mitchell told Quill: “That is to ensure that you won’t spend Christmas in jail. You’re getting your chance.
“There is a trap set up for you to fail. If you want to see what the Dóchas Centre is like, you’ll get to pop in and see it as the Judge will refuse or revoke ball if you appear again.”
Gardaí also objected to bail for Brogan, noting there were a history of warrants, numbering eight in total, and said there were concerns for reoffending were she bailed.
Solicitor for Brogan, Mr Patsy Gallagher said his client was not a flight risk and had come before the court. Mr Gallagher suggested a short remand to show that his client was complying with any directions.
He said directions were not given in the case of Brogan. “They are the same items, the same dates, the same premises and the same Gardaí,” he told the Court.
Judge Mitchell said that he was imposing stricter conditions on Brogan due to her warrant history.
“I hope you have all your Christmas presents bought already,” he told Brogan.
The accused was bailed on her own bond of €300 to reappear before the Court on January 11, 2021.
Brogan is to observe a 10pm-6am curfew, has to sign on daily at Letterkenny Garda Station, she must reside at the address given to Gardai, be of good behaviour and commit no further offence and be available 24/7 to be contacted by telephone.
I'd say she's great crack.
