A 51-year-old taxi driver forced to drive at knife point by a convicted rapist, has described the ordeal as the “most traumatic event of his life”.
Part time driver Pat Dillon said his life has changed “insurmountably” since his taxi was hijacked by two men in Limerick last year.
In a victim impact statement the 51-year-old grandfather described how he has lost trust in people and now drives with his doors locked constantly.
Convicted rapist, 20-year-old Aaron Maloney with an address at McGarry House, Alphonsus Street, Limerick, but originally from Ennis was one of two men who flagged down Mr Dillon’s taxi on January 26, 2013 – the day of his 19th birthday.
The second man 18-year-old Hugh Kavanagh of Shannonmore Park, Clareview, Limerick, has since died from a suspected drugs overdose.
Earlier this year, both men pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to unlawfully seizing the taxi at St Nessan’s Road, Raheen, Limerick on January 26, 2013.
At the sentencing hearing the court heard how Mr Dillon drove the men to a number of locations in Limerick and Clare for more than 40 minutes before a knife was produced and he was forced to drive back into the city at knife point.
At the entrance to Cratloe Woods the terrified driver was warned by Maloney ‘it now ends here’, the court heard.
During the threatening period of the journey which lasted for 15-20 minutes the men claimed they were members of the IRA who were going to carry out a hit the following day and needed his car.
Maloney held a knife to the back of Mr Dillon’s neck throughout the journey back into Limerick city where the taxi driver considered crashing into a Garda patrol car which he encountered, the court heard.
Counsel for the state John O’Sullivan said during his ordeal Mr Dillon had recalled an incident in the eighties during which a taxi driver from Limerick was abducted and found murdered in Cratloe, Co Clare.
In his victim impact statement the 51-year-old grandfather described the incident was “the most traumatic event of his life.
“What occurred was a sheer terror for me. I have lost a lot of trust in people…” the statement read.
He said he suffers from anxiety as a result of this incident and also flashbacks and disturbed sleep patterns, adding there was, “a real threat of an unseen firearm.”
“The words ‘it now ends here’ will haunt me forever’. My life has changed insurmountably I will never completely get over this incident.” he concluded.
In his evidence Detective Garda Pat Whelan described Maloney – who lives in a homeless hostel – as a “very troubled young man” adding the situation is worrying.
The court heard the 20-year-old had previous convictions for rape and false imprisonment and these offences were committed when he was a minor.
Imposing sentence Judge Carroll Moran noted the 20-year-old’s dysfunctional and troubled family background outlined in a medical report.
Judge Moran described ‘car jackings’ as serious matter and said it was a traumatic experience for the taxi driver who he commended for “his presence of mind while trying to deal with this awful experience”.
The judge imposed a sentence of six years but suspended the final two years.
