'You're going to have to get real' judge tells man who had pint in Offaly taxi
Tullamore courtroom
Offaly Live court reporter19 Jun 2023 7:02 PM
A TULLAMORE taxi driver was assaulted by a passenger who was told he could not get into the vehicle with a pint of alcohol.
Judge Michelle Finan heard that Dean Hogan (26), with an address in Cloncollig, Tullamore, but who lives in Dublin, hit Babtunde Lawai with a plastic glass, causing him harm and resulting in the man needing steri strips for the top of his head.
Detective Garda Adrian Hanley outlined how Mr Hogan was one of four people picked up at the Omiya bar at 11.30pm on May 10 last.
Mr Lawai was called names by the defendant when the driver spoke to him about the glass of alcohol and the taxi had to stop.
Mr Hogan was asked to leave and the assault then occurred at Church Street. Initially gardai thought the drinks container was made of glass but they then realised it was soft plastic and the accused identified himself on CCTV footage.
The court heard Mr Hogan had 42 previous convictions and in 2020 received a five-year suspended sentence in the Circuit Court.
He had been down from Dublin for the evening on the date of the offence now before the court and had been out of prison for about three months at the time.
His solicitor, Patrick Martin, said the accused had also been the subject of a three-and-a-half year sentence and he had served most of it.
He was currently in custody and was waiting for alcohol treatment. He had also brought €450 to court as a compensation offer.
Judge Finan noted Mr Hogan had written a “beautiful letter” to the court and was offering some compensation but Mr Lawai had been viciously attacked by him.
“It must have been terrifying,” remarked the judge, asking how much a danger the accused is to people in Dublin and Tullamore because he had difficulty reining in his anger.
The court was told the offence would be brought to the attention of the Circuit Court and Judge Finan remanded Mr Hogan in custody to appear before the District Court on July 12 next for a probation report.
In the meantime he must address his alcohol problem and must fight for a place on a programme because of the long waiting lists. Mr Hogan said he had already been assessed in Cloverhill.
Judge Finan told him €450 is the “absolute minimum compensation” and Mr Martin said he would advise the man that more would be required.
“You're going to have to get real. I wish you well,” said the judge.
