Courts / Dublin / Report

Taxi driver seen spitting something out of mouth, bite trial hears

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court case, 48‑year‑old taxi driver Lookman Kareem was accused of biting off part of a passenger's thumb during an incident on 22 December 2013. The trial heard that the alleged assault followed a scuffle in which passengers laughed at his first name and allegedly racially abused him. Witnesses reported that Kareem was seen spitting something out of his mouth after the incident, with blood around his mouth, though he denied knowing what was spitted and denied biting the thumb. He claimed the victim was the aggressor and that he was dragged out of the taxi and beaten by three passengers. The case is in its closing stages, with jury deliberations scheduled to begin tomorrow under Judge Patricia Ryan. The trial has not yet reached a verdict. Lookman Kareem pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Taxi driver seen spitting something out of mouth, bite trial hears. Charges or matters: assault causing harm to Darren O'Connor and of assaulting Noelle Donohue at Rathmines on December 22, 2013. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• December 22, 2013 Incident
• 2016-04-14 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report