Taxi driver punches female driver in the face

By Martina Nee

A taxi driver who denied assaulting another driver at a busy bus station, by throwing a closed fist into the open window and punching her in the face, was fined €800 at Galway District Court this week.

The court heard last Monday how Collins Festus Anieke denied punching the female taxi driver. He further claimed the only reason he had got out of his car was to show the woman the damage caused to his vehicle and that he had reached into the open window to stop her from fleeing the scene of the accident by grabbing the steering wheel.

The 40-year-old Nigerian national with an address at 98 Fearann Ri, Doughiska, also accused the injured party as well as another witness in the case of verbally and racially abusing him. However, after failing to prove his case Anieke was convicted and fined for the assault of Mary Butler Walsh on September 26, 2008.

Taxi driver Mrs Walsh gave evidence that she had been dropping a passenger to the station, an area which was heavily congested with numerous buses parked on either side of the flow of traffic. She said that the defendant’s taxi was in front and when horns were beeped by other motorists the defendant looked behind him, opened his door, and swung his legs out. Mrs Walsh said that when she blew her horn Anieke got out of his car, gestured at her, and banged on the bonnet. Mrs Walsh then told him to pull into the empty taxi rank but Anieke told her to f**k off before claiming that she had run into him. When Mrs Walsh turned to the passenger in the back seat Anieke had suddenly appeared at the driver’s side, pulling at the door handle, before punching her. Mrs Walsh, who was visibly upset in court, added that she spent six hours in casualty and that her face had been very bruised for five days after the incident.

Defence solicitor Noel Rhatigan put it to the witness that she had been verbally abusive to his client and that when he didn’t move into the taxi rank she drove her car into the back of his.

“It was only at that point he got out and wanted you to get out and examine the damage... He says he didn’t punch you at any stage. You attempted to leave the scene of the accident and he put his hand in on the steering wheel,” said Mr Rhatigan, who then asked if there were any difficulties in the taxi business with regard to the number of immigrant workers.

“It was him who left, I didn’t go anywhere... There’s no difficulties with me but I am working in a saturated market,” replied Mrs Walsh.

Bus Eireann inspector, John Comerford said that he came outside after hearing a lot of beeping and saw the defendant standing beside the woman’s taxi. He said there was a “shouting match going on” and that he then saw the defendant throw a closed fist through the driver’s window. At 6.45pm that same day, Mr Comerford observed the same man in the taxi rank and phoned the gardai.

Under questioning by Mr Rhatigan, Mr Comerford said he saw defendant strike Mrs Walsh in the face. He also said that Anieke had accused him of being a racist.

Garda Gary Walsh told the court that the defendant had come in to the garda station, shortly after the incident at 4.30pm, to report a road traffic accident. Anieke had claimed that the driver who had racially abused him and left the scene. However, Garda Walsh said that there was a small scratch but no major marks on the back of Anieke’s vehicle.

The court later heard that Anieke had previous convictions for producing false documents to obtain a driving licence and driving without insurance.

After hearing the evidence Judge John Lindsay gave the defendant six months to pay the fine and also ordered him to pay witness expenses of €175 and to enter a bond of €300 to keep the peace for 24 months. Leave to appeal was granted.

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