Cabbie who ran over fare faces jail

A CAIRNS taxi driver who hit a man with his car over a $23 fare will be sentenced today after a jury found him guilty of dangerous driving.

Trevor Charles Fitzpatrick was granted bail despite strong objections from Crown Prosecutor Nigel Rees, who argued that he had shown no remorse for his actions.

“He rolled the dice and the jury found him guilty,” Mr Rees told the Cairns District Court.

On February 21 last year Fitzpatrick had picked up Frank Charlie from Raintrees and taken him to White Rock.

About 8am while the taxi was on Guiness Close Mr Charlie, who had no money, had tried to do a runner on the taxi fare.

Fitzpatrick had driven the vehicle on to the footpath and grass hitting Mr Charlie, who received a fractured ankle.

He pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving cause grievous bodily harm and a jury found him guilty of the lessor charge of dangerous driving yesterday afternoon.

Mr Rees told the court he would be arguing for a custodial sentence with actual time in jail to be served.

“He’s shown no remorse and he’s taken this to trial,” he said.

In arguing for his client’s bail, defence lawyer Bebe Mellick said Fitzpatrick had honoured his bail on every occasion.

Judge Dean Morzone agreed that Fitzpatrick was not an unacceptable risk of skipping bail, committing further offences or interfering with witnesses and granted bail.