Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0153False imprisonment · Co. Dublin · 8 May 2022

Man sentenced for false imprisonment of woman in Dublin

In the early hours of 8 May 2022, a visually impaired woman at a taxi rank in Dublin got into the car of Nicolae Zgherea, a 30-year-old man, believing he was a taxi driver. After she realised there was no taxi licence or meter and asked him to pull over, he continued driving until a 999 operator asked him to stop on Mespil Road. Zgherea, of Lucan, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in April 2026. In October 2026, Judge Orla Crowe sentenced him to four years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court15 Apr
  5. Convicted15 Apr
  6. Sentenced1 Oct
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A visually impaired woman at a taxi rank in Dublin got into the car of Nicolae Zgherea, a 30-year-old man, believing he was a taxi driver.
  • After realising there was no taxi licence or meter, the woman asked Zgherea to pull over but he continued driving until a 999 operator asked him to stop.
  • The woman was in a distressed state when gardaí arrived and was unable to work for a period after the incident.
  • Zgherea has 11 previous convictions, all for road traffic offences, and is married with two children.
Where
The incident began at a taxi rank in Dublin, and Zgherea pulled over on Mespil Road.
When
The incident occurred in the early hours of 8 May 2022.
Charges
Zgherea pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, accepted by the DPP on the basis of reckless conduct.
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Orla Crowe.
Sentence
Zgherea was sentenced to four years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions, from a headline sentence of five years.
Other details
No threats or physical violence occurred, and the parties were not known to each other.
48 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe woman realised there was no taxi licence or meter displayed in the car. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAfter confirming he was not a taxi driver, Zgherea continued driving when the woman asked him to pull over. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman called 999 and put her phone on loudspeaker, and the emergency operator asked Zgherea to pull over. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe 999 call lasted just under two and a half minutes. (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman is visually impaired and described herself as almost completely blind in the dark. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA man picked up a visually impaired woman in his car, and she believed he was a taxi driver. (rte.ie)
  • whatAfter the woman realised there was no taxi licence or meter displayed, she asked the man if he was a taxi driver, and he said he was not. (rte.ie)
  • whatWhen the woman asked him to pull over, he continued driving. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe woman called 999 and put her phone on loudspeaker while in the car. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatAfter two minutes and 27 seconds, Zgherea confirmed he had pulled over and said the car was on Mespil Road. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman was still in the car in a distressed state when gardaí arrived. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman was unable to work for a period of time after the incident. (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatZgherea has 11 previous convictions, all for road traffic offences. (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatZgherea is married with two children and works full-time. (thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe woman is visually impaired and describes herself as almost completely blind when it is dark. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman and her friend were holding their extendable canes while waiting at the taxi rank. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatAfter the woman got into the car, her friend left to catch his bus. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatZgherea claimed the woman put out her hand to stop him, sat into his car, and then he decided to bring her home. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatZgherea denied the woman was scared and that he kept her in the car. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe parties were not known to each other and there were no threats or physical violence. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman realised there was no taxi licence or meter displayed and asked Zgherea to pull over but he continued driving (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe woman called 999 and the emergency operator convinced Zgherea to pull over (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe emergency call lasted just under two and a half minutes (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe woman and her friend were at a taxi rank trying to hail a taxi. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe woman and her friend went to a taxi rank to try to get a taxi home. (rte.ie)
  • whereZgherea is from Fox Park, Finnstown Abbey, Lucan, Co Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereZgherea pulled over on Mespil Road (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred in the early hours of 8 May 2022. (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident happened in the early hours of 8 May 2022. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe woman called 999 and put her phone on loudspeaker, and the emergency operator asked the man to pull over, which he then did. (rte.ie)
  • chargeZgherea pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. (rte.ie)
  • chargeZgherea pleaded guilty to false imprisonment on a trial date. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe DPP accepted the plea on the basis that Zgherea recklessly took actions which amounted to false imprisonment. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe DPP accepted the plea on the basis that Zgherea recklessly took actions amounting to false imprisonment. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge directed the Probation Service to carry out a risk assessment. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe was remanded on continuing bail. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge adjourned the case until June and directed the Probation Service to carry out a risk assessment. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Orla Crowe (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceZgherea was sentenced to four years in prison with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Crowe set a headline sentence of five years before imposing four years. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Orla Crowe sentenced Zgherea to four years with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherDefence counsel said there were no threats or physical violence. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe headline sentence was five years, reduced to four years (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe woman is visually impaired and describes herself as almost completely blind in the dark (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherZgherea was not a taxi driver and not operating a taxi when he stopped at the rank (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe woman was in a distressed state when gardaí arrived at the scene (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 12 Oct2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Fake taxi driver jailed for false imprisonment of visually impaired woman

    Sentencing report: headline sentence of five years reduced to four years, final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. Mitigating factors included a letter of unreserved apology, strong work history, and being the father of two young children. Zgherea has 11 previous convictions, all for road traffic offences.

    victim, femaleconvicted, Nicolae Zgherea, 30, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Nicolae Zgherea
  2. 1 Oct2026
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, its first report
    Fake taxi driver jailed for false imprisonment of visually impaired woman

    Provides full sentencing details: Judge Orla Crowe's remarks, the victim impact statement read by the woman's brother, defence submissions by Karl Moran BL, the specific sentence of four years (headline five years) with final 12 months suspended, and evidence from Garda Ciara Parsons including the 999 call transcript.

    victim, femaleconvicted, Nicolae Zgherea, 30, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Nicolae Zgherea
  3. 15 Apr2026
    Convictedrte.ie, its first report
    Court told man picked up visually impaired woman at rank

    Court report: the accused pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, which the DPP accepted on the basis of reckless conduct. Sentencing is pending, with the case adjourned to June.

    convicted, Nicolae Zgherea, 30, male, namedNicolae Zghereavictim, female
  4. 15 Apr2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Man picked up visually impaired woman from taxi rank for financial gain, court hears

    Court hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where Zgherea pleaded guilty; remanded on continuing bail with case adjourned to June for a Probation Service risk assessment.

    suspect, Nicolae Zgherea, 30, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Nicolae Zghereavictim, female