Teen avoids jail for causing costly flight diversion to Shannon airport

ireland
Teen Avoids Jail For Causing Costly Flight Diversion To Shannon Airport
Judge Alec Gabbett imposed cumulative fines of €1,500 on Jay Dalziel with an address at Cornelia Street, Motherwell in Scotland
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Gordon Deegan

A 19-year old man has escaped jail for causing a disturbance on board a Tenerife bound flight that was forced to divert “at great cost” to Shannon airport last June.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Alec Gabbett imposed cumulative fines of €1,500 on Jay Dalziel with an address at Cornelia Street, Motherwell in Scotland for two public order related offences on board the Glasgow to Tenerife flight on Wednesday, June 12th.

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Solicitor for Mr Dalziel, Stiofan Fitzpatrick said that his client believes that his drink was ‘spiked’ as he had never behaved like this before and has no previous convictions.

Mr Dalziel travelled over by ferry from Scotland for Wednesday's court hearing.

Mr Dalziel pleaded guilty to causing two breach of the peace charges contrary to Section 20 of the Air Navigation Act on board the jet2.com flight no L3155 on June 12th where he is accused of engaging in behaviour of a threatening, abusive or insulting nature whether by word or gesture with intent to cause of breach of the peace.

Sgt Frank O’Grady said that the DPP has directed that three assault charges against Mr Dalziel from the flight be withdrawn.

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Judge Gabbett said that what was left against Mr Dalziel are “two public order offences in the air".

The flight departed Glasgow at 3.30pm on June 12th and diverted to Shannon airport in the late afternoon following the incident on board.

Sgt O’Grady told the court that Mr Dalziel became “abusive and aggressive and assaulted two persons on the flight”.

He said that Mr Dalziel had to be restrained because of his aggressiveness and the flight was diverted to Shannon airport and he continued to be aggressive at the Garda station.

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The Garda told the court the costs of the diversion were “substantial” but did not provide a figure to the court.

Mr Fitzpatrick asked that Judge Gabbett not record a conviction against his client and offered to pay money instead into the court Poor Box of Court Discretionary Fund (CDF). He said that his client has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Mr Fitzpatrick said that Mr Dalziel got bail in court last June “by the skin of his teeth” and had to spend a night in Limerick prison before a surety was provided to ensure his release on bail.

The defence solicitor said that Mr Dalziel is very apologetic, has never had a brush with law “and this has been a very sobering experience”. He said that the Tenerife was supposed to be the teenager's first holiday away with friends.

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He added: “Mr Dalziel’s grandfather couldn’t understand how this happened as he was never in trouble before. This was totally off the radar for the young man."

After reading references for Mr Dalziel, Judge Gabbett said that he has a good work trajectory.

However, Judge Gabbett rejected the plea not to record a conviction.

He said: “It is too serious for that. These are extremely serious charges. It has to warrant a conviction."

Judge Gabbett said that the flight was diverted to Shannon “at great cost” to the airline and great inconvenience to everyone else on board.

Judge Gabbett convicted Mr Dalziel on the two Air Navigation offences and imposed one €1,000 fine and a second €500 fine.

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