Courts / Dublin / Report

Woman spared jail for attacking taxi driver and breaking beer bottle over his head

Summary

Sarah Fitzgerald, 23, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting taxi driver Ji Yu Song on 5 July 2014 in Ranelagh. She admitted striking him and breaking a beer bottle over his head. Judge Martin Nolan gave her a suspended sentence of two and a half years, warning that she had "come very close" to prison. He noted she was a secondary actor while her former boyfriend, Gary Crowley, was the main aggressor, who had previously received a two and a half year prison term and had 28 convictions. Fitzgerald paid €7,000 to Song as a token of remorse, which the judge ordered to be passed to him. She had one prior drink‑driving conviction and was described as very drunk and covered in blood at the time of arrest. She has since stopped drinking, attends AA meetings and counselling, and has written a letter of apology to the court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Woman spared jail for attacking taxi driver and breaking beer bottle over his head. Charges or matters: assaulting Ji Yu Song and causing him harm on July 5, 2014 in Ranelagh. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• July 5, 2014 Incident
• 2015-06-18 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report