A taxi driver has not worked since being left with serious head injuries after he was attacked by a man who had consumed cannabis and alcohol and was not happy about the price of his fare.
Denis Creagh (25) of Coolock village, Coolock in Dublin kicked Terry Moloney in the head and stomach and bit his cheek in an incident witnessed by a priest.
When Creagh saw Mr Moloney get up off the ground he returned and punched him again. The victim, who suffered a fractured skull and had 12 teeth knocked out, has not worked as a taxi driver since and is now on disability allowance. He was detained for three weeks in Beaumont Hospital after the assault.
A medical report stated that serious harm had been caused to him and that he temporarily lost some of his brain function.
A psychiatric report said he had a pre-existing psychological condition which was exaggerated by the assault. Mr Moloney also suffered from post-traumatic stress.
Creagh told Judge Katherine Delahunt: "That night should never have happened and it came at a time when I was not myself". He said his stepfather, who he had thought was his biological father until he was 12-years-old, had died three weeks previously.
"I don't think Mr Moloney or anyone deserves that. I apologise to him, his family and friends," he added.
Creagh pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing Mr Moloney serious harm on June 12th, 2004 and was remanded in custody for sentence later. Judge Delahunt adjourned the case to next month to allow defence counsel, Isobel Kennedy SC, to prepare a report for the court.
Det Gda Shane Davern told prosecuting counsel, Ronan Kennedy BL, that Mr Moloney collected Creagh, his girlfriend and another man from a house in Clonshaugh Heights and pulled up outside St Brendan's Church in Coolock village, as directed.
The group were described as being "intoxicated to some degree". The fare was €12 and Creagh's girlfriend gave him €5, but the two men were claiming that neither of them had the rest of the fare.
Mr Moloney told them to "come on" because he was "very, very busy". He then noticed that the girl was trying to get out of the taxi, but there was a problem with her door so he got out to help her.
Creagh got out as well and called him a "filthy pig" before he hit him with "something" in the head and in the stomach.
Mr Moloney fell to the ground unconscious and when he came around Creagh was leaning over him and biting into his cheek. He didn't tear any flesh but the force of the bite cracked the teeth in his mouth.
Det Gda Davern said Mr Moloney lost consciousness again and when he came around the other man from the taxi had his foot over his windpipe. He blanked out a third time and the next thing he remembered was a fireman coming to his assistance.
Fr Frank Corry of St Brendan's Church told gardaí that he witnessed the whole incident from his bedroom window. He saw "one man jump on" the taxi driver after four people got out of the car.