ALLEGED ROBBERY | 

Extra charges considered in case of mum and son accused of pushing man from moving ‘fake taxi’

Maria Muntean (34) and her son Damit Rostas (18) of Tallaght were charged with robbing the man of his iPhone and bank card

Today at 11:39

Gardai have been granted more time to learn whether to bring additional charges against a father of one accused of robbing a man who was allegedly “ejected” from a fake taxi in Dublin.

Maria Muntean, 34, and her son Damit Rostas, 18, who have an address at Virginia Hall, Belgard Square, Tallaght, Dublin, were arrested in Ballsbridge just before 4 am March 17 and charged with robbery of the man of his iPhone and Revolut bank card.

Mr Rostas faced his latest hearing yesterday at Dublin District Court when Judge Paula Murphy heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions’ directions were awaited.

Further charges were possible, and the investigating garda was “asking for more time”, the court heard.

Judge Murphy said there would need to be an explanation on the next date if a further delay occurred.

Legal aid was granted to the father of one, who is not working and gets social welfare. Judge Murphy ordered him to appear again on July 5.

The co-defendant’s case resumes on another date.

During a March 18 bail hearing, Garda Gillian Duffy said she and a colleague were on mobile patrol when they observed a ’08-reg car driving along Serpentine Avenue, Dublin 4.

She alleged it “slowed down but was still in motion” when a male was “ejected from the moving vehicle” onto the middle of the road.

The court heard he was allegedly thrown from the back seat.

The garda activated her patrol vehicle’s lights, but the car failed to pull over; she overtook it and got to stop by manoeuvring in front.

It was alleged that the mother of seven, Maria Muntean was the driver, that Damit Rostas, her son, was in the back seat, and that he had allegedly pushed the injured party from the moving car.

After gardai arrested the mother and son, they were taken to Irishtown station, where they searched Damit and allegedly found the stolen property in his underpants.

Garda Duffy claimed Mr Rostas had approached the intoxicated complainant on Kildare Street, where he had fallen asleep against a statue.

It was the prosecution case that Mr Rostas aroused him and told him he was operating a taxi service, and the man got into the back seat.

However, when the car reached Serpentine Avenue, he was spotted falling out but “got up and looked very stunned”