A football supporter who tried to put his hand up an air stewardess’s skirt during a flight from Warsaw to Dublin on Sunday has been spared a jail term.
Mariusz Cicheki (34), from Poland, but whose address was listed on his charge as no fixed abode, was one of five men arrested following a disturbance on the Aer Lingus flight.
Dublin District Court heard that at one stage during the incident the captain considered returning the aircraft to Warsaw.
Cicheki was fined €600 after he pleaded guilty to a charge for engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour on flight EI363. The charge was under the Air Navigation Transport Act which can carry a possible jail sentence.
Garda Niall Minnock told Judge Cormac Dunne that Cicheki was arrested at 1.45pm at Dublin Airport. He was brought to Finglas Garda station where he was subsequently charged with the offence. He made no reply to caution.
Garda Minnock said Cicheki was one of a party of five men who were drunk. The court heard he was the “main instigator” during the incident and had been warned by cabin crew before he was moved to a different part of the plane.
Guilty plea
Garda Minnock said Cicheki then “attempted to put his hand up the air hostess’s skirt and later touched the air hostess on her behind”.
Judge Dunne told the defendant that the level of allegation against him was higher due to the improper advances he made to the flight crew member.
Cicheki, who had communicated with the court via an interpreter, said he did not need a solicitor and confirmed he was pleading guilty to the offence. He also said that he had a job in Poland.
Judge Dunne fined him €600 and ordered that it must be paid with in three days otherwise he will be jailed for a week.