A construction company director who sexually assaulted a cabin crew member on a flight to Dublin has been ordered to pay €2,500 compensation.
Gardaí removed Arturs Nagornijs (41) from a plane just after it landed at Dublin Airport.
The Latvian national, who has no address in Ireland, was arrested and charged with sexual assault, intoxication, and behaviour likely to cause offence or annoyance.
He was held in custody and pleaded guilty when he appeared before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court on Wednesday.
The court heard Nagornijs was travelling from Nice, France to Riga, Latvia. The flight was via Stansted and Dublin.
Garda Jennifer Lynch told the court the victim was a young woman who had recently started her job.
The court heard cabin crew repeatedly interacted with Nagornijs due to his behaviour during the flight from Stansted.
Flight attendants noticed him behaving "erratically" and "lying across an elderly woman's lap".
The crew told him to desist, but when they went away he began lying on and annoying the elderly woman again.
He was asked to sit up and put his belt on and complied, but "as soon as they went away, he did it again".
The court heard he locked himself in the toilet as other passengers disembarked. Then, he came out and sat on the back row, where he urinated on himself and the seats.
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The crew asked him to leave, but after he had difficulties understanding, they asked him to use the Google Translate app in Latvian.
The court heard the crew member felt his hand go up her skirt between her thighs, and he sexually assaulted her.
Gda Lynch said the victim jumped in shock and was distressed as she ran to the captain shouting: "I can't do this". Air traffic control was alerted and gardaí removed him from the aircraft.
The court heard the victim was too distressed to go on the return flight "and is still distressed at the moment".
Judge Kelly described it as a despicable and horrendous incident and noted the young woman was only a few weeks in the job.
Nagornijs, who listened to the proceedings with the help of a translator, had no prior convictions in Ireland or any ties here. However, the court heard he had €150,000 at his disposal and his work involved travelling to secure contracts. Nagornijs ran a building company operating in Nice in France and Riga.
Defence solicitor Eoin Lysaght said his client was drunk at the time and had no recollection of the incident.
Mr Lysaght said his client asked him to apologise on his behalf, but he was not currently in a position to offer compensation while in custody.
Judge Kelly released him on €2,000 bail, and ordered him to bring €2,500 in compensation to his sentence hearing on Friday.
He was required to surrender his passport and sign on twice daily at Ballymun Garda station and remain in the jurisdiction.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800 77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/, or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
