Co.Tyrone teenager remanded into custody accused of attacking a taxi driver

By Paul Higgins

A Co. Tyrone teenager was remanded into custody today accused of attacking a taxi driver.

Standing in the dock of Strabane Magistrates Court, 18-year-old Dylan McGrinder confirmed he understood the three charges against him.

McGrinder, from Glebe Gardens in Sion Mills, was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on the driver with intent, causing criminal damage to his vehicle and making off without payment in the early hours of Sunday 13th Jan this year.

Giving evidence to the court, a police officer said she believed she could connect McGrinder to each of the charges, adding that as there was no suitable address, bail was objected to.

None of the facts were opened in court but it is understood the charges are in connection with an assault on a taxi driver in the Glebe Gardens area of Strabane in the at approximately 1.00am when the taxi driver picked up a fare in the Abercorn Square area of Strabane and took him to Glebe Gardens where the male passenger proceeded to assault the taxi driver and cause damage to his vehicle. 

The court did hear however that the driver was "very seriously injured" and that a side panel and a wing mirror were damaged in the incident.

As there was no suitable bail address, District Judge Mark McGarrity remanded McGrinder into custody but ordered him to appear at Strabane Magistrates Court this Thursday via videolink.