Courts / Dublin / Report

Man assaulted taxi driver who refused to drive wounded friend to hospital

Date
2017-05-30

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

James Lynch, aged 23, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for assaulting taxi driver Edward Gallagher after Gallagher refused to take Lynch's wounded friend to hospital. The incident occurred on 14 February 2015 when Gallagher was driving through Dublin's city centre. Lynch and two other men demanded a hospital transfer; Gallagher declined, citing the risk of blood in his vehicle. A verbal altercation escalated into physical violence: Gallagher was struck, fell, and was kicked and kicked by the men. Passers‑by intervened and the assailants fled. Lynch was later charged with robbery on 24 January 2016 and possession of a knife on 12 July 2016. He pleaded guilty to all three offences. Judge Melanie Greally described the assault as "very vicious" and noted it caused Gallagher to leave his taxi‑driving job. The sentence was back‑dated to July 2016.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man assaulted taxi driver who refused to drive wounded friend to hospital. Charges or matters: assault causing harm to taxi-driver Edward Gallagher at Dame Street in Dublin on February 14, 2015; robbing a man on Wood Quay on January 24, 2016 and to possession of a knife and producing a weapon at Smithfield on July 12, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

February 14, 2015 Incident
January 24, 2016 Incident
July 12, 2016 Incident
July 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
2017-05-30 Publication

Case subjects

James Lynch

Defendant

Charges: assault causing harm to taxi-driver Edward Gallagher at Dame Street in Dublin on February 14, 2015; robbing a man on Wood Quay on January 24, 2016 and to possession of a knife and producing a weapon at Smithfield on July 12, 2016 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Greally backdated the sentence to July 2016, when Lynch went into custody.