Insurance man set off smoke alarm on flight to Dublin

Tom Tuite

An insurance broker triggered a smoke alarm on a London Stansted – Dublin flight after aggressively ignoring cabin crew and going to the toilet just before take-off on Sunday, a court has heard.

Father of two, William Horn, 29, of Stone Rings Lane, Harrowgate, England, pleaded guilty on Monday to charges under the Air Navigation and Transport Act following his arrest on Sunday at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport.

Airport-based Garda Sandip Shrestha told Dublin District Court he charged the accused with offensive behaviour on the Ryanair flight and setting off the smoke alarm, and the accused replied, “You are chatting shit”.

Judge John Brennan noted that day-tripper Horn, who came to Ireland for a birthday party, was pleading guilty to the charges.

Garda Shreshta said on June 1st, he received a call from cabin crew about “a disruptive passenger” on the flight. Garda Shreshta learned that Horn was in the toilet, and “a plume of smoke set off the smoke alarm inside the plane”.

The captain also confirmed to the garda that the alarm was also activated in the cockpit.

Judge Brennan heard that it started just before taking off in Stansted when the aircraft was taxiing to the runway.

The seatbelts signs were activated but Horn “ignored the cabin crew’s instructions and went to the toilet, and walked by the cabin crew in an aggressive manner”.

Defence solicitor Edward Bradbury told the court his client, who remained silent during the hearing, was pleading guilty and from his perspective, it had been “somewhat an ordeal and in his own mind a misunderstanding”.

The garda agreed with Mr Bradbury that the aircraft was about to take off when Horn decided to go to the toilet.

The accused had no prior convictions in Ireland.

Mr Bradbury said his client has been “chastened” by this ordeal, was held in custody overnight, and missed his birthday party.

The court heard there was no evidence of intoxication, and Horn insisted he was not smoking in the toilet. However, the solicitor acknowledged that, at the very least, the issue had a smattering of recklessness all over it.

The solicitor said it happened when the aircraft was taxiing for take-off, which was aggravating circumstances for the flight attendants.

Judge Brennan said it happened in a confined environment where people were vulnerable, but on the scale of these offences, it ranked at the lower end.

He said that if Horn donated €500 to a Dublin charity which has assisted people affected by homelessness and addiction, he would receive the Probation of Offenders Act and be spared a criminal record.

The judge warned that failure to pay would result in recorded convictions and fines totalling €800.

Horn was released on €300 bail and excused from attending when the case resumes next week.