Gardaí to speak to passengers aboard Prendeville flight
Passengers who were on the flight on which Cork broadcaster Neil Prendeville is alleged to have exposed himself and masturbated himself will be interviewed by gardaí over the coming days.
Gardaí were today making the necessary arrangements to interview up to six of the 94 passengers who were on the Aer Lingus flight from London to Cork on October 19, when the incident occurred as the aircraft taxied for take off.
The 96fm broadcaster was seated in the front row of the aircraft facing two air hostesses at the time.
He was flanked by a female passenger to his right in a window seat and a male passenger to his left in an aisle seat.
Two Aer Lingus cabin crew went to Togher garda station yesterday to make a complaint, following the completion of an investigation by Aer Lingus.
Superintendent Charlie Barry, who is heading up the investigation, said one of the avenues of the investigation they’re looking at will be why Aer Lingus took so long to make the complaint to gardaí.
He said Mr Prendeville, aged 49, had not yet been interviewed by them and is not likely to be until up to six people, who were sitting near the 96fm broadcaster on the flight, had been interviewed.
He said gardaí initially had to establish if the incident should be investigated in Ireland or in Britain, given that it was alleged to have taken place on board a plane.
However, it has been established that the incident can be examined by gardaí because under the Air Navigation Transport Act, the flight is deemed to be within the Irish jurisdiction once the plane doors have been closed before take off. Gardaí will determine what offence, if any, has been committed after speaking to witnesses.
Mr Prendeville remained off air this morning for the second consecutive day. In a statement broadcast on 96fm’s news yesterday morning, he said he did not remember anything about the flight. But he said he could not deny the allegations as he could not remember.
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