A Co Galway farmer has admitted sexually assaulting a then 16-year-old girl during an Aer Lingus flight from Shannon Airport to Boston.
Patrick Noone (58) pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to two counts of sexual assault on November 15th, 2023.
The court heard cabin crew informed the plane’s captain that a male passenger had allegedly inappropriately touched a teenager who was sitting beside him. The captain turned the plane around and returned to Shannon Airport.
Noone, of Curragh, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, admitted he had rubbed and grabbed the teenager’s buttocks on board the flight within the jurisdiction of the Irish State. He also pleaded guilty to kissing the girl’s arm and rubbing her thigh.
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Defence barrister Antoinette Simon, for Noone, told the court her client is a self-employed farmer and has no previous convictions. She asked for a probation report to be prepared for the sentencing hearing as it may provide some insight into his offending.
Judge Francis Comerford granted the request and also directed that gardaí seek a victim impact statement from the complainant.
Prosecuting barrister Sarah Jane Comerford told Judge Comerford there was no connection between Noone and the injured party.
She noted that the accused man’s side had more than two weeks ago offered the guilty plea. She said this was of some assistance, as arrangements had been made for US-based witnesses to provide evidence via video-link.
The prosecution previously told the court that one of the four due to give evidence via video-link was the complainant, who is now aged 18 and studying in a US college.
Det Garda Ruth O’Sullivan told the court previously that the cost to Aer Lingus of returning the aircraft to Shannon Airport had been €28,213.
The detective said that about an hour into the transatlantic flight, at about 3.30pm, a girl informed cabin crew she had been inappropriately touched by a man sitting beside her.
The decision was then taken by the captain to return to Shannon, where statements were obtained from the complainant and witnesses during the short turnaround before the plane departed again for the US.
