€500 taxi trip from Tralee to Sligo court
A PAKISTANI asylum seeker has been charged with conning a Tralee taxi driver out of €500 after he allegedly made off without paying for a taxi ride from Kerry to Sligo where he was due to appear before the local district court.
Waleed Khan (28) a native of Pakistan who lives at the Atlas House asylum centre in Tralee, had been due in court to answer a charge of engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour at Sligo University Hospital on July 16 last.
When he arrived at Sligo District Court on September 7 Mr Khan was charged with dishonestly by deception, arising from the allegedly unpaid bill for the taxi that he had used to get to the court that morning.
The court heard that Mr Khan had agreed to pay Tralee taxi driver Pat Godley €500 to take him to Sligo but that on arriving in Sligo town he didn’t hand over the cash.
“Is the taxi driver here? asked Judge Kevin Kilrane. “We sent him home,” said the arresting Garda Martha Carter.
The court heard Mr Khan – who has no family in Ireland – has lived in the country for a number of years.
Waleed Khan disputed the taxi driver’s claim about the fare and said that a €300 fee had been agreed before they left Tralee.
Defence solicitor Tom MacSharry said Mr Khan had moved to Tralee from the Globe House asylum centre in Sligo after “having some difficulties there”.
Mr Khan said he would “definitely” pay the outstanding taxi bill and intended to do so by getting a loan from some Pakistani friends who are living in Riverstown village near Sligo town.
Judge Kilrane remanded Mr Khan in custody to a special sitting of Sligo District Court at 9pm on September 8.
At that special sitting, Khan elected for trial by judge and jury on the dishonesty charge.
There was no mention of any money being present in court for the taxi driver.
Free legal aid was granted and Judge Kilrane remanded Mr Khan in custody, with consent to bail to appear at Harristown District Court in Castlerea when a date will be set for his case to come before the Circuit Criminal Courts.