Man with fake ID stopped boarding Aer Lingus flight at Dublin Airport

ireland
Man With Fake Id Stopped Boarding Aer Lingus Flight At Dublin Airport
An Albanian man was caught "red-handed" trying to board an Aer Lingus flight at Dublin Airport while using fake Greek identity documents, a court has heard.
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Tom Tuite

An Albanian man was caught "red-handed" trying to board an Aer Lingus flight at Dublin Airport while using fake Greek identity documents, a court has heard.

The accused, who has given the name Adrini Kuqi, his age as 38, and no fixed address in Bilbao, Spain, appeared at Dublin District Court on Saturday charged with offences under the Immigration and Theft and Fraud Offences acts.

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He is accused of failing to produce a valid passport or equivalent document on demand establishing his identity and nationality at Terminal 1 after he was stopped on Friday evening.

He was also charged with possessing and using false instruments, a fake Greek driving licence and passport in another person's name to induce another person to do an act or provide a service.

Detective Sergeant Keith Cleary told Judge David McHugh that the man was trying to leave the State when he was intercepted.

Opposing bail, he submitted that the man was a flight risk and would not turn up for his trial. The identity he gave was not confirmed, and enquiries are to be made with the visa section.

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Defence solicitor Peter Keating said his client would sign on daily at a city centre garda station, provide his contact number when he gets his phone back from gardaí, and find accommodation in a hostel.

The defence said the accused had been staying in a hostel before his arrest, which the arresting officer did not accept.

The detective sergeant alleged that the accused was caught red-handed with the two false documents, and the officer believed he "had access to other false documents".

The court heard he was getting on a plane to Barcelona when he was stopped and claimed he lived in Italy.

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The accused gave evidence and insisted that he has given the correct date of birth and name to gardaí. He agreed to remain in the State and turn up to court if allowed out on bail.

Cross-examined by Detective Sergeant Cleary, the man claimed that he had been staying at a hostel in the city centre, which he paid for with his bank card.

However, he could not name the hostel and said it was "in the middle of Dublin" and that he stayed there for three or four days. The accused, who has yet to enter a plea, conceded that he had no permanent address in the State.

Judge McHugh said he had "no hesitation in refusing bail", adding, "I regard him as a substantial flight risk".

Legal aid was granted, and the accused was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday.

The judge also ordered disclosure of prosecution evidence to the defence.

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