NI man charged with Shannon air-rage incident

A 48-year-old Northern Ireland man appeared before a special sitting of Limerick District Court this evening charged in connection with an alleged air-rage incident.

Michael McCallion, from Dunclug Gardens, Ballymena, Co Antrim was arrested in Shannon airport shortly after 5pm yesterday after the plane he was travelling in was forced to divert due to an alleged incident on board a flight to Spain.

The My Travel Flight from Belfast to Las Palmas had 198 pasengers on board and was just one hour into its journey when it was forced to make the unscheduled stop at Shannon.

This evening, at a special sitting of Limerick District Court, 48-year-old Mc Callion was charged with assaulting cabin supervisor Catherine Gray contrary to Section 2 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act and engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour during a flight contrary to the Air Navigation and Transport Act.

Mr McCallion was also charged with being intoxicated on board a flight to such an extent as would give rise to a reasonable apprehension that he might endanger himself or other persons.

Solicitor for the accused Catriona Carmody told the court that her client would be pleading guilty to all of the charges.

Judge Tom O’Donnell said he was treating the mater as “very serious” and remanded the accused in custody with consent to bail on his own bond of €500 and in independent surety of €2,500.

The case is due to go ahead on Tuesday at Tulla District Court in Co Clare.