US lawyer jailed for air rage incident
A US lawyer has been given a four-month stopover in a Dublin jail following an air rage incident on a transatlantic flight.
A Lufthansa passenger jet bound for JFK Airport in New York had set off from Munich, in Germany, but was forced to divert to Dublin Airport on the afternoon of April 23 last – at a cost of approximately €25,000.
Timothy Fassano, 49, was arrested at Terminal 1 and charged with three counts under the Air Navigation and Transport Act.
He was charged with engaging in behaviour that was of a threatening, abusive and insulting nature with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, on flight LH410.
He was also charged with behaviour likely to cause serious offence or annoyance despite being requested by aircraft crew to stop, and it was also alleged he was intoxicated to such an extent to give rise to an apprehension he might endanger himself or others.
At his first hearing on April 24th his solicitor Tracey Horan had told Dublin District Court that her client was an attorney-at-law, but he is currently of limited means and does “locum” work.
The 49-year-old, who has an address at 90th Street, Queens, New York, was granted bail with conditions that he had to sign on daily at Store St Garda station in Dublin city-centre, surrender his passport and tell gardaí where he would be staying.
His next scheduled hearing was on the morning of April 29th but he didn't show up and the court heard that he had been spotted in Dublin city-centre looking “less for wear”, a bench warrant was issued to have him arrested.
Separately he was picked up by gardaí later that day at Church Street, and charged with being drunk in public.
Dishevelled, unshaven, and with cuts around his left eye, he was brought before a late sitting of Dublin District Court last Tuesday and was remanded in custody.
Finally his case landed before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court where he pleaded guilty to all of his charges, and was jailed for four months and fined €750.
