A HELICOPTER pilot who landed his aircraft on the roof of a shopping centre to collect a set of keys has been given a six-month suspended sentence and fined €5,000. The judge said the man seemed to lack a grasp of common sense.
Seán O’Brien (50), The Island, Ballycumber, Co Offaly, was convicted on 10 charges relating to the incident at Athlone, Co Westmeath, on July 7th, 2007.
He had been released on bail from Athlone District Court last year on condition he did not operate an aircraft.
Judge David Anderson asked whether the defendant, who holds an American pilot’s licence, was now in a position to display a knowledge of Irish aviation regulations. Mr O’Brien told the judge he had been studying the regulations but was unable to afford to go on any courses on the subject.
He claimed to have been applying “completely different” flying instructions acquired in America at the time of the incident. “You are telling me in Florida there are no regulations in relation to landing a helicopter on top of a supermarket?” asked Judge Anderson. Admitting he shouldn’t have landed in Athlone, or dropped below 1,500ft in a built-up area, Mr O’Brien said, “I would never do that again.”
He described his own actions as “dangerous” due to the lack of a designated landing area on the roof of the shopping centre.
Judge Anderson said, “Mr O’Brien still doesn’t understand why he shouldn’t land on a supermarket.”
The defendant displayed “no grasp whatsoever” of the rules. “Common sense, that is where he has difficulty,” the judge said.
Solicitor Tom Madden said his client was a man of “no means” who didn’t own the helicopter and was now on disability.
The defendant had worked in the prison services until he retired at 30 following a shooting incident, he said.
Mr O’Brien then set up a successful security business which ended following a “bizarre” poisoning incident which left him unwell for a number of years.
Mr O’Brien now has no assets and, “since your order he hasn’t been taking to the skies”, Mr Madden told Judge Anderson.
Although there were 10 charges, Judge Anderson said the one overriding charge was that of “dangerous and negligent” use of a helicopter.
He handed down a six-month suspended sentence and fined the defendant €5,000 on this count while taking the remaining nine charges into consideration.