February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Swords District Court heard that two men became abusive and threatened obert Doyle before fleeing the train at Malahide Station when he asked them to pay the fare from Drogheda. One of the men involved, Stuart Mulligan, 19, of Donaghmede, pleaded guilty to non-payment of fare but not guilty to assault in an incident in March 2002. The other man did not appear before the court at the hearing last week.
Doyle said he was checking tickets on the train from Drogheda to Dublin at 12:30 p.m. when he approached two men who had their feet on the seats. When asked for their tickets, they said they had traveled from Drogheda. Doyle told them the fare was euro 10.10 and one of them said they had “no effin’ money,” the conductor told the court.
“He said if I didn’t ‘eff’ off, he’d throw me under the train,” Doyle said. “The other youth got very brave and asked me would I like to have my face smashed in.”
They jumped out of their seats, Doyle said, rushed past him and the defendant gave him a kick in the leg before leaving the train at Malahide.
In evidence, the defendant said he had not had the money to pay the fare on the day and did not kick Doyle on purpose. He apologized to the court for not paying his fare.
Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the matter to April 22 to allow the defendant to pay euro 250 in compensation to Doyle and deferred sentencing on the assault charge.