Football supporters deny disrupting Ryanair flight at Dublin Airport

Tom Tuite

Four Croatian football supporters have pleaded not guilty to causing a disturbance which delayed the take-off of a Ryanair flight at Dublin Airport last month.

Marco Bajzec (41), of Beechwood Park, Ballyboe, Glencar, Co Donegal, and Zvonimir Prkacin (40), Luis Buic (38), and Tomislav Zajec (39), all of the same address at Confey, Leixlip, Co Kildare, were arrested on January 22nd.

The four had hoped to fly to London that morning for the Dinamo Zagreb versus Arsenal Champions League match at the Emirates Stadium that evening.

Instead, they were charged with offensive behaviour on the aircraft but were granted bail that afternoon.

They faced their second hearing at Dublin District Court on Wednesday.

Their solicitor, Eoghan O’Sullivan, said a date for a hearing was required for the contested case.

Judge Treasa Kelly remanded them on bail and told them the date for their non-jury District Court hearing would be assigned when the case is listed for mention next month.

At their first appearance two weeks ago, Garda Emmet O’Byrne and Conor O’Neill told Judge Kelly they arrested the men at 9.15 am at stand 107L in Terminal 1.

The four were brought to the airport and Ballymun Garda stations to be charged under the Air Navigation and Transport Act.

The judge noted that Mr Bajzec and Buic made no reply while Zvonimir Prkacin answered, “I feel sorry for the passengers on the flight and the staff; they were delayed because of us”.

Meanwhile, Mr Zajec stated to gardaí, “I have done nothing wrong”.

The arresting officers had asked the judge to impose a bail condition prohibiting them from transiting through Dublin Airport unless sober. However, she modified this condition to require them to maintain sober habits in public.