Farmer admits sexually assaulting 16-year-old girl on transatlantic flight to Boston

The court was told that the complainant, now aged 18, is currently studying in a US college

When cabin crew told the captain a male passenger had allegedly inappropriately touched a teenage girl sitting beside him on the flight, the captain turned the Boston-bound plane around and journeyed back to Shannon Airport. File picture: Denis Scannell

A Co Galway farmer has pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of a then-16-year-old girl on a transatlantic Aer Lingus flight bound for Boston.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Patrick Noone, aged 58, pleaded guilty when arraigned on two counts of sexual assault contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act on November 15, 2023.