Former Ryanair chief executive gets two years for assault

A former chief executive of Ryanair who sexually assaulted a young woman and flashed to gardaí has been given a two-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Eugene O'Neill (aged 52), who was also previously managing director of The Sunday Tribune, was convicted by a jury of sexually assaulting the woman in her home in south Dublin on November 19, 2006.

O'Neill, of Shanganagh Grove, Shankill, suffers from psychosis and had not taken his medication for two days prior to the attack. He told gardaí he was psychotic at the time and claimed he was trying to "call the devil" but didn't realise there was anyone else in the house.

The jury of seven women and five men returned an 11-1 majority verdict after over five hours of deliberation and a five-day trial.

Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a two-year sentence which she backdated to last December. She ordered that O'Neill receive appropriate medical treatment while in custody.

Defence counsel, Mr Sean Gillane BL, described O'Neill as a "very ill man" who had no previous convictions and had achieved astounding success in the business world.