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DONEGAL CABBIE JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING 18-YEAR-OLD PASSENGER


A Donegal taxi driver has been sentenced to four years in prison for sexually assaulting an 18-year- old woman passenger while bringing her to Derry. Paul Bryan, 63, from Newtown, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault that occurred on October 22, 2017. The victim had flagged down Bryan’s taxi outside a nighclub after becoming separated from friends in Letterkenny. During the journey back to Derry,


Bryan sexually assaulted the woman, taking advantage of her vulnerability. In his first interview with police Bryan said there had been sexual activity but claimed it was consensual but later admitted the offences.


The incident has had a significant impact on the victim’s


life,


according to the judge. Judge Neil Rafferty KC described the case as one of “high harm and high culpability”. were


He said there “significant aggravating


factors” in the case including the fact Bryan was a taxi driver and there was a breach of trust in that he had taken advantage of a young woman who was “extremely vulnerable due to her age and alcohol”. Bryan was sentenced to four years in prison, with half to be served in custody and the other half on licence. Bryan was also ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order was imposed for the same period.


SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR BIRKENHEAD CABBIE WHO BROKE ABUSIVE DRUNK PASSENGER’S LEG


A cabbie has been sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, after stamping on a drunk passenger’s leg. Samsun Noor, 47, picked up Graham Trevor, who had been drinking at a friend’s house, in the early hours of April 25 last year. Trevor had ‘difficulty walking’ to the car, which was parked across the road, leading to


Noor


requesting payment upfront. The pair had a ‘dispute’ but Trevor handed over a £10 note and the vehicle set off and travelled for around five minutes. But Trevor continued to be ‘volatile’ and behave ‘aggressively’ leading to Noor telling Trevor to get out of the vehcile near Pyramids Shopping Centre in Birkenhead. As Trevor stumbled out of the vehicle and fell to the ground, Noor stamped on his leg and drove off. The injured passenger was taken to


PHTM OCTOBER 2024


hospital where it was discovered that he had sustained a broken tibia. He underwent surgery as a result of this fracture. Noor was then arrested the following day and admitted wounding without intent. On 3 September at Liverpool Crown Court,


Noor admitted


wounding without intent. He was handed a 12-month imprisonment sentence suspended for two years, plus 80 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity require- ment of up to 20 days.


Judge Garrett Byrne said that Noor had been “faced with a difficult, volatile and abusive customer”. “You ordered him to leave, which was understandable in all the circumstances. “He did leave but you then stamped on his leg, causing very serious injuries. You did not intend to cause serious injury, nor was it easy to foresee that such an injury would result from what you did. “You do have powerful mitigation. You are a man of good character. You were acting under a degree of provocation. You are remorseful. Your licence has been revoked. “You are assessed as being a low risk of reoffending and there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. “The only question is whether the offence is so serious that only immediate imprisonment can be justified. I take the view that it can be suspended.”


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