Insurance man spared jail after triggering smoke alarm on Ryanair flight to Dublin
An insurance broker who triggered a smoke alarm on a London Stansted – Dublin flight after aggressively ignoring cabin crew just before take-off has been spared jail and a criminal record.
Father of two, William Horn, 29, of Stone Rings Lane, Harrowgate, England, pleaded guilty on June 2 to charges under the Air Navigation and Transport Act following his arrest the previous day at Terminal 1, Dublin Airport.
Judge John Brennan had said that if Horn donated €500 to a Dublin charity which has assisted people affected by homelessness and addiction, he would be spared a criminal record.
The judge warned that failure to pay would result in recorded convictions and fines totalling €800.
William Horn. Photo: Tom Tuite
Horn was released on €300 bail and excused from attending when the case resumed today.
Judge John King noted his colleague's order and was shown a receipt of payment by defence solicitor Edward Bradbury.
He applied the Probation of Offenders Act.
Earlier, airport-based Garda Sandip Shrestha said he charged the accused with offensive behaviour on the Ryanair flight and setting off the smoke alarm, and the accused replied, 'You are chatting s**t'.
Judge John Brennan heard that Horn came to Ireland for a birthday party which he missed by being held for the night in Garda custody before his court hearing.
William Horn. Photo: Tom Tuite
Today's News in 90 Seconds - June 13 2025
Garda Shreshta said on June 1, 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 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.
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 had said it happened in a confined environment where people were vulnerable, but on the scale of these offences, it ranked at the lower end.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man who dragged visually impaired child from mother walks free
A man who dragged a visually impaired child away from her mother has been given a suspended sentence. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Stephan Obelngoa (24) of Deerpark Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, assault of a peace officer and resisting arrest at The Square, Tallaght. Dublin, on October 2, 2023. He has six previous convictions and was on bail at the time of this offence. Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain handed down an 18 month prison sentence but suspended it in full on strict conditions. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Obelngoa was suffering from a mental illness at the time and had not been taking his medication, the court heard. Garda Sergeant Gemma Collins told Shaun Smyth, BL, prosecuting, that an 11-year-old girl, her mother and little brother were leaving the shopping centre on the day in question when they noticed a man later identified as Obelngoa. He was topless, and the mother described his movements as 'unnerving' and said he seemed 'aggressive'. The court heard the mother intended to walk on and avoid Obelngoa, but she suddenly noticed that her daughter had disappeared from her peripheral vision. The woman turned around and saw her visually impaired daughter being dragged away by Obelngoa. The little girl was screaming, crying and struggling to get away. The mother described her daughter as 'bouncing off the ground'. Obelngoa then threw the girl into a concession stand. Gda Sgt Collins said two security guards immediately subdued Obelngoa. When gardai arrived, they found Obelngoa was shouting, roaring and aggressive as he was being restrained. He then spat a mixture of blood and saliva into the face of one of the gardai. As gardai were trying to place handcuffs on Obelngoa, he tried to bite them. Specialist gardai interviewed the young girl, and she described to them 'being dragged like a doll and being dragged on the floor'. She said, 'I thought he was going to drag me away forever and would kidnap me'. The girl was examined the following day by a doctor, and a medical report stated she suffered minor spinal soft tissue tenderness and abrasions. The court heard the young girl had trouble sleeping and was extremely anxious in public places like shopping centres afterwards. Gda Sgt Collins agreed with Ciara Ní Ghabhann BL, defending, that gardaí were unable to interview her client after he was arrested, as he was made an involuntary patient in Tallaght Hospital, where he remained for a period of time. The garda agreed with counsel that CCTV footage obtained by the gardai shows that the incident lasted a matter of seconds. Ms Ní Ghabhann said her client suffers from schizophrenia and is given antipsychotic medication every three months. She said at the time of this incident, Obelngoa had been off his medications for six months and was self-medicating with cannabis. Counsel said her client is currently under the supervision of the Probation Services and has undertaken community response programmes. The Probation Services have said he is at low risk of reoffending. She said Obelngoa has written letters of apology to both the garda and the young girl in this case, outlining his sincere remorse. He does not have a clear memory of the incident, but when shown the CCTV footage, he was embarrassed. She asked the court to take into account that her client was quite young and had an acute mental health issue when this offence was committed. She said her client has taken steps to ensure that nothing like this will ever happen again. At a hearing last month Judge Ni Chulachain said, 'these are very serious offences,' and adjourned the case for two weeks to consider her sentences and read all documents handed into court. In sentencing the judge noted that the injured party was walking past him with her mother when he threw her into a concession stand and had to be pepper sprayed. The judge asked Sgt Collins to explain to the injured party 'that we can't punish people for things that aren't their own fault' and that 'if he takes his medication - he's never going to come near her again.' 'It must be very strange to her that he is not going into prison,' the judge added. She said the onus was on the defence to establish their client was suffering from a mental illness and that she was satisfied they had done so. She noted he was unmedicated for six months and was displaying his genitalia in public while in hospital. Judge Ni Chulachain noted his mental state at the time but said it 'does not reduce all your culpability,' she said. She said the appropriate sentence was 18 months but she had to take account of his guilty plea which saved the injured party giving evidence at her young age. The judge noted he was 24 and was in college but dropped out and was on bail for six offences but there was a 'positive' probation report and he was at low risk of reoffending if he continued on the same path. She imposed one-year imprisonment term to run concurrently on each of the assault charges but in view of the effect prison would have on him, she suspended it for two years on strict conditions.
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Girl dies following road traffic incident in Co Donegal
A girl has died in a road traffic collision in Co Donegal . The victim was a passenger in a car involved in a collision with a van on the R240 at Carrowmore, Glentogher in Carndonagh. Gardaí and emergency services were alerted to the crash shortly before 6.30pm. The female driver of the car, a male front seat passenger and a girl who was a rear passenger were all removed from the scene to Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry where they all remain in a serious condition. READ MORE No other injuries have been reported at this time. The road is closed for a technical examination by forensic collision investigators and local diversions in place. The road will remain closed overnight. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dashcam) and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday evening are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí. Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda station at 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
Sunday World
9 hours ago
- Sunday World
Romanian funfair worker who sexually assaulted girl (15) to be deported
Due to time spent on remand Madalin Nicusor Stanciu will be freed within the week Newtownards Magistrates Court heard that due to time spent on remand, Madalin Nicusor Stanciu will be freed within the week but despite the impending release, the 19-year-old will be deported back to Romania. Standing in the dock alongside an interpreter Stanciu, listed as no fixed abode, Bangor, entered guilty pleas to sexual assault and engaging in sexual communication with the 15-year-old victim on 13 April this year. A prosecuting lawyer outlined how the victim's mum contacted police about 'inappropriate, sexual messages from the defendant' on her daughter's phone. When police attended and spoke to the 15-year-old, she told the officers she had just gotten off one of the rides when Stanciu 'handed her his Instagram and asked for a photo to be taken with her.' While the photo was being taken, he 'pinched her bottom over her clothing,' the court heard. Later that same day, Stanciu messaged the schoolgirl asking her to perform a sex act on him, 'in return for access to the funfair.' The defendant was arrested and interviewed and while he accepted sending the messages, he denied grabbing the girl's bottom. He also accepted, the court heard, that he was aware she was 15-years-old. Stanciu's defence counsel said although the court may be considering a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, effectively it would be pointless given his impending deportation. He suggested that as Stanciu had already served the equivalent of almost three months, the judge could consider 'leaving something hanging over his head.' Imposing the three month jail sentence, District Judge Conor Heaney said it was clear that Stanciu had used his job 'as a means by which to commit the offences.' 'These are of a serious nature,' said the judge, 'often times dealt with in the Crown Court.' As well as imposing three month sentences on each count, he also ordered Stanciu to pay £500 compensation to the victim 'as a token of the undoubted stress she was caused as a result of these actions.' In addition, Stanciu will have to sign the police sex offenders register for five years. Although Judge Heaney granted bail pending appeal, he ordered that Stanciu is not to be released. Stock photo Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 2nd
