Charges against Rhys Meyers dropped

Public order charges against actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers have been dropped.

Public order charges against actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers have been dropped.

The State instead cautioned the actor (30), who was arrested at Dublin Airport last month for being drunk and using threatening and abusive behaviour.

Meyers was not present at Dublin District Court today. However he accepted responsibility and apologised through his solicitor.

He was arrested at the airport before he was due to board a flight to London on November 18th. He was charged at Whitehall Garda Station under the Public Order Act but was later released on bail.

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Garda Noel Barry told the court today that when cautioned on charges of being intoxicated in public and using threatening and abusive behaviour, the actor made "no reply".

A solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecutions told Judge Angela Ní Chondúin the State did not wish to proceed with the charges, but would deal with the case through the adult cautioning scheme.

Michael Staines, solicitor for Meyers, accepted the caution on behalf of the Cork-born film star, who also offered to make a undisclosed donation to a charity, not named in court.

"My client, nonetheless, instructed me to say he absolutely accepts his behaviour was unacceptable and out of character," said Mr Staines.  "He unreservedly apologises, in particular, to British Midland staff, to security staff and gardaí."

Mr Staines said his client, whose address was given as north London, would nominate a charity for the voluntary donation.

Because no charges were brought by the State, Meyers escapes without any criminal record.

Two days after Meyers's arrest, his mother, Geraldine "Geri" Meyers-O'Keeffe, died after a short illness.

A winner of a prestigious Golden Globe award for his lead role in the popular CBS mini-series Elvis,Rhys Meyers is best known for his roles in the films Michael Collins, Bend it Like Beckham, Match Pointand most recently August Rush.

He is filming a second series of The Tudors, in Ireland , in which he plays Henry VIII.