A drunk airline passenger, who "became aggressive" and pushed cabin crew when he was refused a chocolate bar on his flight home from Spain, has been spared jail.
Hospital catering assistant Daniel Hamilton (28), of Robert Emmet Walk, Dublin 8, was fined €500 on Thursday for causing annoyance or offence on a plane as well as breach of the peace at Dublin Airport and obstructing arrest on September 12th, 2022.
Dublin District Court heard Hamilton got drunk while on his flight back from Spain after a family holiday.
Judge Treasa Kelly told him he was old enough to realise that drinking too much alcohol could have these kinds of consequences.
“I certainly would not like to be on a flight where you were creating trouble with the crew. It would be very worrying, and I am sure they were very upset on the flight as a result of your behaviour,” she said.
Court Garda Sergeant Niall Murphy told Judge Kelly that Hamilton “became aggressive with cabin crew when they told him they could not sell him a chocolate bar on the flight”.
He verbally abused and pushed them, and after landing, gardaí had to take him off the plane, the court heard.
Hamilton abused a garda when he was told he was being arrested, and “he struggled and had to be restrained,” Gda Sgt Murphy said.
He had six prior convictions, including two for criminal damage, a breach of the peace, obstructing gardaí, and two for failing to comply with a garda’s direction under the Public Order Act.
Hamilton, via his lawyer, “took exception” to evidence of assault, but the sergeant replied that was not the charge before the court and the word assault was not used in prosecution evidence.
Defence solicitor Michael French said his client was travelling from Salou with relations, and he “consumed far too much alcohol on the day in question”.
The court heard he was “highly intoxicated” but is now very remorseful, and he asked his solicitor to convey his apologies to gardaí and the airline staff.
The court heard the father of one was in employment.
Mr French conceded that it was a serious allegation but asked the judge to accept Hamilton’s apology and to be as lenient as possible.
Mr French said Hamilton, who had struggled with addiction issues in the past, has addressed his alcohol intake since this incident.
Judge Kelly noted he pleaded guilty and took responsibility for his but had previous convictions.
She recorded a conviction and imposed the fine, and warned it had to be paid within three months.
