A two-week at Ennis District Court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to an air rage offence.
Matthew Chambers (47) pleaded guilty to engaging in insulting behaviour with the intent to cause a breach of the peace, contrary to Section 2A (3) of the Air and Navigation Transport Act on board a Shannon-bound flight from New York on December 17th.
Chambers, with an address in the Bronx, New York, first appeared before the court four days later on December 21st. After pleading guilty at that sitting, Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a jail term of two weeks and fined him £600.
However, Judge Mangan did not follow through on his order following a late plea from Chambers's solicitor to suspend the sentence. Instead, the judge adjourned the case to yesterday's court to ascertain if Chambers had any previous convictions in Ireland or the US.
At the first hearing in Ennis, the court was told that gardaí were called to Shannon airport after Aer Lingus staff radioed ahead, informing them of Chambers's abusive behaviour towards the cabin crew on a trip back home for Christmas.
Chambers's solicitor, Mr Joseph Chambers, said his client should not have been allowed on the flight as he was already inebriated and when on, he should not have been served more alcohol.
The solicitor said his client "had too much to drink and cannot explain his actions and is full of remorse. Being drunk at the time does not in any way excuse his actions".
The solicitor said that Chambers - who is a native of Cooraclare, but has lived in New York for the past 18 years - has flown more than 100 times with Aer Lingus over the 18 years he had lived in the US and the incident was the first time he had misbehaved on a plane.
In court yesterday, Chambers's solicitor asked that the sentence be suspended and told the court his client had pleaded guilty, shown remorse and had contacted Aer Lingus to apologise to staff.
Supt John Kerin told the court that Chambers's behaviour was bad, but he had shown remorse and had no previous convictions. Chambers was given the Probation Act following a breach of the peace in Ireland in 1981.
After hearing Chambers had no previous convictions, Judge Mangan suspended the two-week sentence and imposed a fine of €761.84 which was payable immediately.
Bounding Chambers to keep the peace for two years, Judge Mangan also ordered that details of the offence, the penalty and sanction be forwarded to the International Civil Aviation Authority in Montreal, Canada.
Chambers is due to return to the US this weekend after his Christmas holidays.