- The taxi driver was found guilty by a jury after running over fare dodger in Cairns
- Trevor Fitzpatrick due to be sentenced at the Queensland district court on Friday
- He denied causing grievous bodily harm to Frank Charlie who jumped out of cab
- Prosecutors call for taxi driver to serve time in prison after showing ‘no remorse’
A taxi driver will be sentenced after he ran over a man who tried to dodge a $23 fare.
Trevor Charles Fitzpatrick was found guilty by a jury at Cairns District Court after the incident last year and is due to be sentenced on Friday.
He had denied charges of driving dangerously and cause grievous bodily harm after fare dodger Frank Charlie suffered a broken ankle during the incident in Cairns.
Taxi driver Trevor Fitzpatrick was found guilty of dangerous driving after incident in Cairns
Fitzpatrick was granted bail while the court decides on his sentence after being convicted for dangerous driving, the Cairns Post reports.
He was granted bail but crown prosecutor Nigel Rees objected to the application saying Fitzpatrick had shown no remorse for his actions, calling for him to serve a jail sentence.
The incident took place after Mr Charlie tried to run off from the car during a taxi ride from the a shopping mall in central Cairns to the south of the city at 8am on February 21.
Mr Charlie had no money on him when he attempted to make off without paying Fitzpatrick.
Fare dodger tried evading $23 fine but it was the taxi driver who ended up in court after attack
As he tried to make an escape, Fitzpatrick mounted the footpath and grass verge hitting Mr Charlie.
Mr Rees said he wanted Fitzpatrick to serve actual time in jail after ‘rolling the dice’ by taking the case to trial, according to the Cairns Post.
Defending, Bebe Mellick said his client had always honoured his bail.
Judge Dean Morzone was expected to pass sentence on Friday morning.