This incident, recorded by the cyclist, has resulted in the conviction of the taxi driver
A Dublin taxi driver has been convicted - but has avoided going to jail - after deliberately veering towards a cyclist twice in the city, causing him to crash. The driver was before the courts in Dublin today, Wednesday. The video above - recorded by the cyclist - was used in evidence in the Garda case.
Dermott Reynolds, a 51-year-old from Moatfield Ave, Coolock, Dublin, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He was charged with one count of endangerment arising from the incident on North Strand Road on September 20th, 2018, and pleaded guilty.
Reynolds, who is now working for a courier company, was given an 18-month sentenced which was suspended, which means has not gone to prison. He has two previous convictions for minor road traffic offences, the court was told today.
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After the incident Reynolds went to gardaí and claimed the cyclist had verbally abused him before undertaking his car, causing the crash. However, the cyclist also went to gardaí and showed them his video footage.
It clearly shows Reynolds veering towards the cyclist twice in the road, with the second move causing the cyclist to crash. The incident, as the cyclist rode to work at about 6am, began when Reynolds drove up behind the cyclist and appeared to remonstrate with him about his position on the road.
On the morning in question, the cyclist managed to pick himself up off the road and caught up with Reynolds in his taxi. After being told he had been recorded on camera, Reynolds told the cyclist the crash was an accident and then drove off.
However, after gardaí investigated the case, using the video as evidence, Reynolds was charged with one count of endangerment and faced the courts today, more than four years after the incident.
Judge Martin Nolan said it was “reprehensible" for Reynolds to endanger someone in the way that he had, though he did not send him to prison, fully suspending the 18-month sentence on a number of conditions. He also told Reynolds to pay the cyclist €2,000 in compensation within six months, adding if the victim did not want the money it should go to charity.
