Suspended sentence for man who attacked taxi driver with yard brush

A man has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrates Court after attacking a taxi driver with a yard brush.

Martin Coyle (48) of Westlake in Derry was charged with, on April 16 last year, attacking a City Cabs driver that was bringing himself and his wife home. 

The court heard that Coyle and his wife had got a taxi home and upon arrival, Coyle got out, leaving his wife and the driver in the car, and began to punch the car repeatedly. 

Coyle then picked up a yard brush that his daughter tried to take from him and began to attack the car and driver, dislocating the driver's finger.

Overall, the damage to the car was over £1,000.

Coyle, who was drunk at the time, claimed that his wife was being held against her will in the car.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said that Coyle is a 'pilar of the community' and a 'devoted family man', adding that his 'judgement was impaired' but that he had pleaded guilty.

He said Coyle 'deeply regrets' his actions on the night and had brought some money towards compensation. 

District Judge Barney McElhom called the incident 'extremely serious' and sentenced Coyle to six months, suspended two years and was ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation.