Driver pulled passenger from his taxi and threw her on the ground

[Dr. Martin Gooter Bling]

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/driver-pulled-passenger-from-his-taxi-and-threw-her-on-the-ground-36401280.html

A TAXI driver hauled a passenger from his car and threw her to the ground after she complained about the cost of a fare and said "f**k you" to him.

Puneet Rosha (30) had claimed the woman racially abused him, calling him a "Paki c**t", and she injured herself when she drunkenly fell out of the taxi. The victim had denied making racist remarks.

Judge Patricia McNamara imposed a four-month sentence, suspended for 12 months.

The defendant, of Falcon's View in Blanchardstown, was found guilty at Tallaght District Court of seriously assaulting Aisling Mullins at Stocking Wood in Rathfarnham.

Ms Mullins said she was heading home on December 10, 2016, after attending the wedding after-party of a colleague.

At around 5am, one of her colleagues flagged a taxi on Leeson Street, and she got into it.

Ms Mullins said she did not have enough money to pay the fare, so she asked the driver to take her to an ATM. He drove her to one in Rathfarnham village.

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Ms Mullins said Rosha dropped her at the roundabout at Stocking Wood.

When she asked for the fare, which was €37, she felt she was being ripped off.

She said she told him: "I'll pay the fare but f**k you."

Ms Mullins said Rosha reacted badly, and got out of the taxi. He opened the door, hauled her out and threw her to the ground.

She said she remembered feeling quite scared.

Ms Mullins said a second taxi came along and the girl in it helped her.

The court heard Ms Mullins had cuts to her hands and knees, and marks to her chest.

She said she considered herself quite a hardy person, but afterwards felt "very panicked" and "didn't like the drama of the situation".

In cross-examination, Ms Mullins denied she was extremely drunk, did not remember large parts of the incident or had racially abused Rosha.

In his evidence, Rosha claimed Ms Mullins had to go to an ATM, so by the time he got to Stocking Wood the fare was nearly €37.

He claimed she was angry and repeatedly called him "f**king c**t" and "Paki c**t".

He claimed he told her: "I'll drop you home safely." He opened the car door and Ms Mullins fell out.

[Dr. Martin Gooter Bling]

I reckon the drivers been stitched up.
like that romanian fella who got 6 months last year.

[Belker]

Hard One to call ?

Two very conflicting stories, most likely the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

A Four month suspended sentence, No fine and no loss of his taxi licence,
surely that's only a 'Slap on the Wrist' !

[The Liffey Lip]

I reckon the drivers been stitched up.
like that romanian fella who got 6 months last year.

  He lost all credibility when he threw in the mandatory racist comments as justification. However, thankfully no-one rang the cops yrs ago. All I'm saying.

[TheDevilHimself]

Taxi drivers come in for all kinds of abuse and its par for the course but it seems that "racial abuse" is much worse  than any other kind. Obviously its far more hurtful to be called  A Paki Cnut than to be called a fat ugly bastard (which I overheard one of my fellow taxi men being called recently)Dragging a passenger out of the car however is not on, no matter what was said. (and is technically an assault)   

[The Liffey Lip]

He said....she said...hearsay...Courts deal with facts and there was no "technically" about it...plain and simple assault. Knew a lad who was going through a divorce who had himself convinced he was going to give the court the truth...wasn't long before his cough was softened....FACTS are all we care about here Mr B...e, instructed Justice....

If you can't get some tramp out of the car......cop-shop.

[Rat Catcher]

You're entitled to use reasonable force or seek the assistance of An Garda Siochana to remove a passenger from your vehicle. If it's female I'd be inclined to opt for the latter but I haven't encountered such a situation to date.

[Swir]

She couldn't remember most of what happened and couldn't even flag the taxi on her own... but she wasn't drunk? Silly.  However guy's explanation as to why he got out of the car seems weird.

[Shallowhal]

Not to mention the €37 fare....Leeson St to Rathfarnham(Stocking Wood) via an ATM in Rathfarnham village(even allowing for a drunky mcfuk)..seems a bit extortionate imo.

[Belker]

You're entitled to use reasonable force or seek the assistance of An Garda Siochana to remove a passenger from your vehicle. If it's female I'd be inclined to opt for the latter but I haven't encountered such a situation to date.

I wouldn't agree that you are entitled to use reasonable force on anyone,
once it get's to court, it will be Assault !

[Rat Catcher]

Whether you agree or not, the rules state that you are entitled to use reasonable force. I guess the same applies to any premises. However, it's an entitlement not an obligation.

[Belker]

Whether you agree or not, the rules state that you are entitled to use reasonable force. I guess the same applies to any premises. However, it's an entitlement not an obligation.

I don't agree, can you post a link which states the rule that you are entitled to use reasonable force to remove a customer from a Taxi ?
The only rule I know is if you lay so much as a finger on a customer and it gets to court, then it is Assault !
If it is a Female customer then it's Sexual Assault !

If it's some Drunken Bog farmer out in the middle of nowhere, then ya drag him out by the ears, take your fare from his wallet and leave him on the side of the road as close as where he told ya to go before he fell asleep ! And give him a receipt !!

[The Liffey Lip]

Whether you agree or not, the rules state that you are entitled to use reasonable force. I guess the same applies to any premises. However, it's an entitlement not an obligation.

"Reasonable" being the purpose of discussion by men and women charging you 3 ton an hour. Tends only to apply if you are the subject of the assault itself. Some bird attacks you in a pub for being uninterested in her advances then you are entitled to make good your escape by pushing her out of your way. If you can't convince a drunk or header to leave your cab then leave on the meter and drive to the cop-shop.....might not get the money there and then but you're covered regarding "due diligence" and can play the health and safety aspects up to further your entitlement to payment plus prospective earnings lost as a result. Chances are you'll have to pony up for your own costs so it'll be a Pyrrhic victory if it goes any further. Spotting the tramps is getting more and more difficult what with equality and women's rights and all that shite.

Rule no 1: nobody wins if it goes to court and both parties are employed. 2 people arguing over whether it should be the noose or the gallows.

[Rat Catcher]

I don't agree, can you post a link which states the rule that you are entitled to use reasonable force to remove a customer from a Taxi ?

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1963/si/191/made/en/print

S.I. No. 191/1963 - Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 1963.

58 Removal of persons or articles from vehicles.

58. (1) The conductor or the driver of a public service vehicle, or a member of the Garda Síochána acting on the request of such conductor or driver, may remove from the vehicle any person who contravenes any provision of this Part of these Regulations.

(2) In exercise of the above power and in exercise of the powers of refusal of entry to an intending passenger or of preventing the bringing of a prohibited article or animal into the vehicle, a conductor, driver or member of the Garda Síochána may use such reasonable force as is necessary for the purpose.

[Belker]

'Fair Dinkum' !  That's me told and good to know that rule too.

Still n' all I wouldn't touch a drunk female in the cab,
God only knows what they might come up with the next day.