This article is from page 14 of the 2014-11-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A HEROIN addict who threatened to bite a taxi driver in the face if he didn’t give him back the fare has received a three-year prison sentence.
Jonathan Higgins (28) had only just been released from prison when he carried out the robbery against taxi driver Ken Murphy at Ballyliddane West, Sixmilebridge, on June 12, 2014.
At Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on Friday, Judge Gerald Keys imposed a three year prison sentence with the f nal year suspended. Judge Keys said taxi drivers should be able to go about their business day or night without the threat of robbery or violence.
The victim declined the opportuni- ty to submit a victim impact report but Judge Keys said it was reasonable to assume the attack had some effect on the man.
Mr Higgins, with addresses at Brother Russell House, Mulgrave Street, Limerick and Laurel Lodge, Clare Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to robbing € 50 from Ken Murphy at Ballyliddane West, Sixmilebridge, on June 12, 2014.
Detective Garda David Laing of Shannon Garda Station told the court gardaí received a complaint of robbery from Mr Murphy on June 13.
The court heard that on June 12, Mr Higgins asked the taxi driver to bring him from Ennis to Sixmilebridge.
Mr Higgins originally offered to only pay € 20 but later agreed to pay the full € 35 fare.
He gave Mr Murphy a € 50 note and got back his change. Det Laing said the taxi stopped at the Applegreen shop at Captain Macs cross in Ennis. Mr Higgins went inside and bought tobacco.
Det Laing said that en route to Sixmilebridge, Mr Higgins told the driver he had been in prison.
Det Laing said that when the taxi arrived in Sixmilebridge, Mr Higgins asked the driver to go towards the Killaloe road.
The car eventually ended up at a dead end where Mr Higgins pulled the handbrake and became aggressive towards Mr Murphy.
The court heard that the victim told gardaí, “He was shouting he would do me and bite my face”.
“He put his head over me in a man- ner that he was going to bite me”, Mr Murphy said.
Det Laing said Mr Murphy decided to cut his losses and give Mr Higgins the € 50 note.
The court heard Mr Higgins gave the taxi driver a false name and told him he didn’t care if he called the guards.
Det Laing said Mr Higgins was identif ed from CCTV footage ob tained from the Applegreen store.
Mr Higgins has 34 previous convictions including for burglary, theft, trespass and robbery.
Det Laing agreed with defence counsel Brian McInerney’s statement that Mr Higgins is a “chronic heroin addict”.
Counsel said his client came from a dysfunctional background, started abusing drugs at an early age and spent a period of time living rough.
He said Mr Higgins, who is in custody serving a sentence, is engaging with drug rehab services in prison and is also taking classes in English, art and music.
Counsel asked Judge Keys to take into account Mr Higgins’ admissions and early guilty plea which he said spared the victim having the re-live the trauma of the robbery in a trial.
Mr McInerney said this was a spontaneous crime with no element of planning.
Judge Keys imposed a three year sentence with the f nal year suspend ed on condition Mr Higgins continue drug rehabilitation on his release from prison and obey all directions of the Probation Services.