Four years for assault, coercive control and driving offences

By Eimear Dodd

A man who ran over his former partner’s leg with his car and led gardai on a 20-minute high-speed chase in a separate incident has been jailed for four years.

Samy Taib (21), with addresses at Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght and Meile An Rí Road,  Balgaddy, Lucan, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm at addresses in Dublin and one count of coercive control on dates between May 9, 2018, and June 19, 2019.

Taib also pleaded guilty to endangerment, driving without a licence and insurance at Fettercairn Ring Road, Tallaght and dangerous driving causing endangerment at Main Street, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, all on October 13, 2019. Taib has 22 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences.

Imposing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Elma Sheahan said today that it was clear that the victim had “endured great upset and trauma from the assaults and psychological injury” caused by Taib’s offending during the course of their relationship.

Referring to the road traffic offences, Judge Sheahan said it was “almost miraculous that no innocent road user was not seriously injured” on that day.

She handed Taib a total prison sentence of five years, with credit to be given for any time served on this matter or while in custody in Scotland in relation to a European arrest warrant.

Judge Sheahan noted the serious nature of Taib’s offending and his previous convictions for road traffic offences as aggravating factors.

She said the court does not believe Taib was aware that his use of drugs might have been affecting his mental health more than usual, owing to his then undiagnosed “enduring, major serious” mental illness.

Judge Sheahan said that Taib’s culpability was reduced owing to his diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia while in Scotland in the wake of these incidents.

Medical reports indicate a history of psychological issues as a younger teenager.

Judge Sheahan said the mitigating factors include Taib’s guilty plea, which meant the victim did not have to give evidence at a trial, and “relive the trauma of her experiences with the accused”.

She also took into consideration Taib’s cooperation with gardai, his work history, family support and background of psychological illness.

Judge Sheahan said she would suspend the final 12 months of the sentence for a period of two years on strict conditions, including that Taib comes under the supervision of the Probation Service, have no contact with the victim and stay away from her home address and workplace.

Taib also gave an undertaking to the court that he would not have contact with the injured party by any means while in custody.

Judge Sheahan also disqualified Taib from driving for a period of six years.

The court previously heard that Taib had choked his then-partner on a number of occasions over the course of their relationship.

In another incident, he hit her with his car, driving over her right leg.

On October 13, 2019,  Taib drove at high speeds, on the wrong side of several roads and did not obey stop signs and red lights during a 20-minute pursuit, which involved the garda helicopter.

Gardaí initially thought there was something in the car, but nothing was found. It is believed that Taib acted as he did because he had no insurance.

In her victim impact statement, Taib’s former partner said he made her a “different person” who struggled with depression and anxiety.

She said she suffered psychological and physical injuries, including permanent damage to her foot.

The victim said Taib had “ruined” her life and hurt her family.

Brian Gageby, BL, defending, said his client was diagnosed in early 2020 with schizophrenia, and this may have been a contributing factor to his offending.

His client had also been using cannabis at the time.

Mr Gageby said his client accepts he caused injury to his ex-partner and that it was not an acceptable way to behave.

Garda Craig Daven told Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, that Taib’s ex-girlfriend told gardaí that their relationship started in May 2018 and she found Taib “very controlling”.

She said she was “very scared of the way he was” and the couple had many fights during their relationship.

Around two months in their relationship, the couple were sitting in a car talking when Taib grabbed the victim by her hair. He held her down, then punched her.

The victim told her friends what happened and they warned Taib to stay away from her. The couple reconciled after Taib apologised.

During an argument in the victim’s home in September 2018, Taib followed her into the bathroom, and started choking her. She passed out and when she woke up, he told her she had hit her head on the radiator.

Taib apologised, however, the victim felt intimidated and forced to accept his apology.

In October 2018, they moved in together and were living in Taib’s mother’s house. The victim said she felt isolated. During this time, Taib choked the victim many times and forced her to be quiet to avoid disturbing his family.

The victim returned to her family home around December 2018 and the couple’s relationship appeared to improve.

Taib and the victim were in his car and due to meet friends at a pub on May 9, 2019. Taib became jealous. The victim got out of the car and he followed her, telling her to get back into the vehicle.

Taib hit her with his car and drove over her right leg. He told her to get up and used abusive language towards bystanders who came to offer help. Taib then stood on the victim’s leg. He later told gardaí that he did this as he thought she was “messing”.

Gardaí arrived and took the victim home. She suffered bruising and soreness in her leg and ankle.

Taib apologised and the couple reconciled.

Taib was arrested by gardai in July 2019. When questioned, he said he could not control his emotions and admitted to hitting the victim when she walked away or he felt disrespected.

He told gardaí that he did not remember choking her and admitted to running over her foot. Gda Daven agreed with Brian Gageby Bl, defending, that Taib told gardaí that he did not like himself for choking the victim.

Mr Gageby said his client accepts he caused injury to his ex-partner and that it was not an acceptable way to behave.

Detective Garda David Jennings gave evidence that gardaí spotted a black Volvo car stopped at the Churchstown Road junction on October 13, 2019 after the driver turned his head as they passed.

The patrol car did a u-turn, then followed the black car, switching on its blue lights. Taib appeared to pull over, then drove off and was pursued by gardaí.

During the chase, gardaí observed the black car driving on the wrong side of several roads including the Cookstown Road, the Naas Road, and the N7.

Taib also drove through a number of red lights and stop signs. Other motorists were forced to take evasive action during the incident. Taib drove at high speeds throughout and gardai noted they were travelling at 150km in 100km zone at one point during the pursuit.

The garda helicopter was also involved in the chase, which lasted around 20 minutes.

CCTV footage was played for the court, which showed the pursuit ended after Taib crashed the car. He then abandoned the vehicle and ran off, but was quickly arrested by gardai.

After caution, Taib told gardaí that he did not have any insurance. The car was also seized.

Det Jennings said gardaí initially thought there was something in the car, but nothing was found following searches and it is believed that Taib’s acted as he did because he had no insurance.

Mr Gageby said his client had made admissions when interviewed by gardaí in relation to the coercive control and assault causing harm charges.

His client wished to apologise to his former partner. He asked the court to take Taib’s youth at the time of these incidents into consideration. Several psychological reports were handed into the court.

Mr Gageby said his client was diagnosed in early 2020 with schizophrenia and this may have been a contributing factor to his offending. His client had also been using cannabis at the time.

The court also heard that on April 24, 2019, Taib and his ex-partner were arguing when he punched her in the face, causing bruising to her eye.

Taib, the victim and her sister went shopping during one incident. He demanded a cigarette and when she said no, he told her she “didn’t know how to act” and to “fix yourself up”.

The argument continued, during which Taib pulled the victim’s hair.

The victim and her sister left and went home by taxi.

In her victim impact statement, the victim said Taib had made her a “different person” who struggled with depression and anxiety.

She said she suffered psychological and physical injuries, including permanent damage to her foot.

The victim said Taib had “ruined” her life and hurt her family.

Mr Gageby told the court that Taib left the jurisdiction and moved to Scotland in early 2020 where he was admitted to a psychiatric institution.

Det Jennings told the court that Taib appeared “alright” in October 2019, but his behaviour was unusual.

Gardaí only became aware of Taib’s diagnosis when they obtained a European Arrest Warrant to extradite him from Scotland, while he was in a psychiatric institution. Taib returned to Ireland in April 2022.