Oulart man tried to chase down plane at Dublin airport
YOUNG WEXFORD MAN ‘MOONS’ PHOTOGRAPHERS OUTSIDE DUBLIN COURT
AN OULART man who had to be stopped by airport police and Ryanair staff after trying to run onto the tarmac at Terminal 1 of Dublin when he missed his flight, appeared before the District Court in Dublin on Thursday, charged with criminal damage to a door at the boarding gate.
Patrick Kehoe (23) of Raheenaskeagh, Oulart, was granted bail on the charge by Judge Bernadette Owens and having been released from custody, he dashed past photographers, dropped his trousers and mooned them before heading off, suitcase in hand.
Gardaí were alerted to the incident at 7 a.m. that morning at Dublin airport. It is alleged that Kehoe and a female companion arrived at the boarding gate for their flight to Amsterdam after the flight had closed.
While Kehoe initially engaged with Ryanair staff at the gate, it is alleged that he grew agitated and broke through a door at the boarding gate, making his way onto the apron where he apparently tried to flag the aircraft down. He was restrained by Ryanair staff and airport police before being brought to Ballymun Garda Station where he was charged with criminal damage and later brought before Judge Owens at Dublin District Court.
Kehoe is charged with criminal damage to a magnetic door lock at Gate 106 at Dublin Airport.
Dressed in a grey padded jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms and runners, the unemployed man grinned awkwardly as he stood before the judge, who asked him if he had a solicitor, to which he replied, ‘No’. He had the same answers when the judge asked him if he was working and if he had the name of a solicitor.
‘I don’t know any of them, do you want to choose me one?’ he then said.
The judge said she could and she assigned solicitor Peter Connolly to act for the accused.
Garda David Cahill told the court he arrested Kehoe at Dublin Airport at 7.50 a.m. and brought him to Ballymun station.
‘He made no reply to the charge after caution,’ Garda Cahill said.
Garda Cahill said he did not have directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) yet and he sought a six-week adjournment.
There were no objections to bail but Garda Cahill sought a bail condition banning the accused from Dublin Airport unless he had ‘legitimate business’ there. However, this was successfully resisted by Connolly who objected to this condition.
Garda Cahill said it was possible that there would be ‘further charges’ in the case. Kehoe has not yet indicated how he will plead. Judge Owens did not ban him from the airport but imposed the statutory bail terms, to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. He was released on his own bond of €200 and ordered to appear again on 8 November next for the DPP’s directions to be conveyed.
Legal aid was granted after Connolly furnished the court with a statement of his client’s means.
Kehoe, with his luggage in tow, left the court with a woman shortly after the hearing.