A construction worker has been ordered to make a donation of €200 to a children’s hospital after he was caught running an unlawful taxi service.

Robert Gronczewski (31), with an address at Monastery Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to two counts of breaching the Taxi Regulation Act on October last. He was prosecuted following a joint investigation involving Gardaí and the National Transport Authority (NTA), Judge John Brennan was told.

NTA compliance officer Anthony Carey told the court that the investigation came after he observed an advert on a website. On the evening of October 7th last, he and an undercover garda were collected by Gronczewski at the Naas Road in Dublin. They were taken to Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport.

Mr Carey asked how much he owed and Gronczewski told him the charge was €25 which was handed over. Mr Carey identified himself and cautioned the driver who did not have a small public service vehicle (PSV) licence.

The accused told him, “I just put the ad, I don’t know how to explain”. Mr Carey agreed Gronczewski was co-operative and had no prior criminal convictions.

In pleas for leniency, the defence said the accused did not know the law. The court heard he is from Poland but working in Dublin in construction. However, he is sending money back to Poland to help his mother-in-law who is recovering from a seriousness illness. Judge Brennan noted the defenant was a hard-working man who was taking the case seriously. He said he would apply the Probation Act, sparing him a criminal record, if he donated €200 to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and paid €200 in costs.

The case was adjourned until a date in June with the judge warning that he would impose €500 in fines and a higher costs order if Gronczewski did not comply.