Northern Ireland

Taxi driver claims former rising GAA star threatened to 'slice his throat' and rape him

Robert Tasker (left) and Antion James McCoey pictured at an earlier court appearance in Newry. Picture by Mal McCann
Robert Tasker (left) and Antion James McCoey pictured at an earlier court appearance in Newry. Picture by Mal McCann Robert Tasker (left) and Antion James McCoey pictured at an earlier court appearance in Newry. Picture by Mal McCann

A TAXI driver broke down in tears yesterday as he told a court he thought "I was going to die" after a Co Armagh man allegedly threatened to rape and kill him.

Paul Kelly from Dundalk claimed former Armagh minor footballer Robert Tasker and another man turned "pure evil" during a journey to Cullyhanna on November 29 2016.

"I thought I was never going to see my family again," he said.

Mr Tasker (26) and Antion McCooey (25), from separate addresses at St Patrick's Park, Cullyhanna, deny charges of kidnapping, robbing, threatening to kill and assaulting Mr Kelly.

Giving evidence before Newry Crown Court, he said he was "absolutely terrified" as Mr Tasker, who was part of the Armagh side which won an All-Ireland minor football title in 2009, allegedly held a Stanley knife to his throat.

He also claimed Mr McCooey threatened to stab him with a flat head screwdriver during the 25-minute journey.

Mr Kelly said he received a call to pick up a fare at Chopsticks Chinese takeaway in Dundalk where two men, which he later identified as the defendants, got into the car.

He said the original booking was to a Dundalk housing estate but "they said they were going to Cullyhanna and I said it would be €30 and I would need that up front".

"The fella in the front seat said that would be no problem and the fella in the back seat said that would be robbery and he would only give €10," he said.

"But the fella in the front said 'shut up' and gave me the money."

The taxi driver claimed that as they drove towards Cullyhanna, Mr Tasker - who was in the back of the car - "started to talk about having sex with a man", using highly sexualised language.

"He kept repeating over and over again," he said.

Mr Kelly said this was "extremely uncomfortable" and Mr Tasker also asked him if he had engaged in similar sexual activity with a man.

He claimed it was then that the demeanour of Mr McCooey "totally changed".

"He (Mr McCooey) was civil before, but when I asked him if he (Mr Tasker) was being serious, he said 'why are you talking like that?'"

"He turned pure evil, you could see the veins in his neck, everything changed on him. I was absolutely terrified."

Mr Kelly alleged the two men then produced weapons.

"The man behind me, before I knew it, had a knife to my throat," he said.

"It was a Stanley knife, he said to me 'Don't move or I'll slice your throat and I'll kill you'.

"The fella in the front seat had a flat head screwdriver and it had a nut on the top of it, he took it out of his right pocket."

He claimed Mr McCooey began to make stabbing motions towards him.

"They were saying that they were going to stab me," he said.

"The man in the back kept saying he was going to rape me... he kept saying this all the time, the whole way nearly to Cullyhanna.

"....They were absolutely nuts, it was terrible. I thought I was going to die, I've never felt fear like it in all my life.

"I kept thinking of my kids, it was close to Christmas and I thought they weren't going to have their Daddy for Christmas."

Mr Kelly said as his taxi neared Cullyhanna, he was told he would be raped "at the church".

"The man in the front was desperately wanting to stab me," he said.

"They were directing me to turn right into the church and I begged them not to stab me... they were screaming that they were going to kill me.

"I knew if I went up there, I wasn't coming back.

"I fell to pieces. They were squealing at me."

The court heard that when a car passed the now parked taxi, the two men "still had their weapons pointed at me" but they got out and stole his takings of €120.

"I put my boot to the floor... I didn't care what speed I was doing, I just wanted to run for my life," Mr Kelly said.

He added that when he looked back, "they were just walking as if nothing had happened".

"I was absolutely shaken, I cried. I was absolutely terrified."

Mr Kelly later took part in a police identification procedure and picked out Mr Tasker and Mr McCooey, saying he was "100 per cent sure".

The court has heard that both defendants refused to answer questions from police but denied any involvement in the alleged offences.

Cross-examining Mr Kelly yesterday, a lawyer for Mr McCooey queried whether his description of the front-seat passenger matched the height of the defendant, saying: "I am suggesting he wasn't in your taxi."

A barrister for Mr Tasker, meanwhile, questioned the driver about whether the men in the taxi appeared to have been drinking.

The trial continues.