A 25-year-old man has been remanded in custody after appearing at Ennis District Court concerning an alleged incident on board a Ryanair flight.
At a special sitting of Ennis District Court on Saturday evening, Judge Mary Larkin remanded Ioan Remi Makula in custody to Limerick prison to next Wednesday.
In the case, Mr Makula is charged with being a person on board a Ryanair flight no FR4776 from Manchester to Shannon on February 4th and engaging in behaviour of a threatening, abusive or insulting nature whether by word or gesture with intent to cause of breach of the peace of being reckless as to whether a breach of the peace might have been occasioned.
The charge is contrary to Section 2(a) of the Air Navigation and Transport Act.
Judge Larkin remanded Mr Makula of Fearann Ri, Doughiska, Galway in custody after solicitor for the accused, Tara Godfrey said that there was no application for bail.
In evidence, Garda Chris Healy of Shannon Garda station told the court that he arrested Mr Makula at Shannon airport at 9.40pm on Friday and later charged him at midnight.
Garda Healy said that in response to caution and charge, Mr Makula made no reply. Judge Larkin granted legal aid to Ms Godfrey to represent Mr Makula in the case.
Mr Makula was standing in the body of the court for the brief hearing and Judge Larkin told Mr Makula: “Sit down young man. Sit down and stop drawing attention to yourself.” Mr Makula then sat down at a nearby seat.
Sgt Noel O’Rourke told the court that there is an issue that when Mr Makula was arrested at Shannon airport on Friday night he was travelling on a Romanian passport. Sgt O’Rourke said that Mr Makula had previously surrendered an Irish passport.
Judge Larkin said if bail is granted in the future that Mr Makula would be directed to hand over all passports to Gardai.
Ms Godfrey asked that a psychiatric assessment be carried out on Mr Makula while in custody.
Ms Godfrey said that Mr Makula is on medication at the moment and told the court that his mother had a plastic bag in court with his medication to give to him.
Judge Larkin ordered that Mr Makula appear at Ennis District Court on Wednesday via video-link from prison.
