A festival and events organiser punched a taxi-driver in the face and then wrestled a female Garda who tried to arrest him in a row over the fare.
Adam Laverty, aged, 27, appeared before Letterkenny District Court following the incident on December 20th, 2018.
Laverty and a friend had hailed the taxi in Letterkenny and asked to go to Ballybofey and was told by the taxi-driver that the fare would be €30 which they paid.
However, half-way to Balybofey the pair decided they wanted to go to Clady in Co Tyrone but the driver refused and said he was letting the men out.
The men claimed they were being left in the middle of nowhere, hadn’t got value for their €30 and a row started.
Solicitor for Laverty, of Drumboe Avenue, Stranorlar, Mr Frank Dorrian, said the men felt aggrieved and had been drinking.
He also revealed how one of the men said “We could kill you here right now.”
The taxi-driver then called Gardai to the scene and the matter became more enflamed.
Laverty became aggressive and wrestled a female Garda against the patrol car before he had to be pepper-sprayed to be brought under control.
Mr Dorrian said his client had no previous convictions and said he was a successful events organiser.
Judge Paul Kelly said he took a very poor view of somebody who attacked somebody else while they were going about their duty.
He ordered Laverty to pay €200 compensation to the taxi-driver and also make a further donation of €200 to the Garda Benevolent Fund.
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