‘Bizarre’ taxi experience involving knife gun and crocodile head lands passenger in baffled courtroom
A judge in Derry praised the ‘calibre’ of his town’s taxi drivers after a customer brandished a knife, a gun and a crocodile head on a wild drive – in which he even picked up a mysterious wound
A judge at Derry Magistrate’s Court sentenced a man for drugs and weapons after a strange case which saw a taxi ride involving a crocodile head, a gun and a knife.
John Harkin, 51, of Greenpark Drive in Antrim was charged with possessing class B and C drugs, along with a knife and a firearm, on June 17 last year. But the evidence of his gunslinging trip left the court reeling, with a stop enroute to pick up an injury before he startled the driver with the contents of a mysterious bag.
The court consequently heard that the taxi driver had picked up two men and took them to two addresses.
At the second address the defendant came out carrying a bag with signs of a wound. Harkin then took a crocodile head out of the bag as the journey continued.
Next he produced a knife and then a round of ammunition followed by a gun. While the cabbie said he thought the gun was a replica, Harkin assured him that it was real.
When they got to the final address, the court heard that “they exchanged pleasantries” and Harkin left the car. Five days later, though, the police searched Harkin’s address and found the drugs and the other items.
Harkin admitted he was in the taxi but said he thought he hadn’t taken the items out. He claimed that the knife was for work and that the gun had been “decommissioned”.
His defence counsel Stephen Chapman said it was “an unusual case” and District Judge Ted Magill described it as “bizarre”. The barrister said that his client had not threatened the driver.
Moreover, the judge noted that Harkin had “an appalling record” with 222 previous convictions but had shown he could stay out of trouble.
He further warned the alleged criminal that if he had threatened the driver, he would have gone straight to prison.
The judge instead imposed 18 months of probation. While giving his sentence, the judge paused to pay tribute to his town’s cabbies over a strange taxi ride involving a crocodile head, a gun and a knife.
“The calibre of taxi drivers in this town is pretty tough,” said Judge Magill.
Derry has recently been in the news over a security alert that saw locals evacuated from their homes. The town was a flashpoint for many years during Northern Ireland’s Troubles.
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