Passenger accused of mid-flight sexual assault on cabin crew to face higher court trial

Tom Tuite

An airline passenger accused of sexually assaulting a female cabin crew member and pulling her head to his groin during a Portugal to Dublin flight is to face a Circuit Court trial.

The man, in his 20s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Dublin District Court.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the case remain in the District Court if the accused pleaded guilty.

Outlining the allegations, Garda Sergeant Niall Murphy told Judge Valerie Corcoran that the allegation was that the man went to the galley area and kissed the female crew member on the cheek and then “grabbed her and pulled her head down toward his groin to the point where it was touching it".

The court heard he subsequently used the toilet and then followed the same crew member, put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her from behind.

Judge Corcoran held that it was too serious to retain jurisdiction and that the case should be transferred to the Circuit Court, which can impose lengthier sentences.

The man, who did not address the court, was ordered to appear again in November to be served with the prosecution's book of evidence and a return-for-trial order.