Passenger (34) charged with assaulting Ryanair crew member remains in custody
Tom Tuite
A Belfast man who allegedly assaulted a Ryanair cabin crew member on a Dublin to Amsterdam flight has been further remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Self-employed painter, Christopher Tinsley (34), with an address at the Shankill Road, is charged with assault causing harm to a male attendant on Friday's scheduled 6.25pm flight, which was aborted just before takeoff.
He is accused of onboard disruption in two other charges under the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act, 1998.
He was alleged to have been intoxicated to such an extent as to give rise to a reasonable apprehension that he was likely to endanger the safety of himself or the safety of others on the aircraft, and engaged in behaviour of a threatening, abusive, or insulting nature.
He was held in custody with consent to bail on Saturday at Dublin District Court.
Tinsley had to lodge €500 of a €1,000 bond and provide an independent surety of €1,000, with half of the surety to be lodged in cash. However, he has not yet been able to take it up and remains in custody.
He appeared again on Wednesday when Judge Áine Clancy noted that gardaí needed another six weeks to obtain the directions.
Defence solicitor Brian Keenan told Judge Clancy that his client has not yet taken up his bail.
Tinsley, still wearing the same Angerfist top he had on at his first hearing, remains in custody.
Judge Clancy directed medical treatment for the accused in custody and remanded him in continuing custody with consent to bail to appear again on April 15th at the same court.
Earlier, Garda Ahmed Bilal alleged that the incident occurred as the aircraft was on the runway and "about to take off".
He said that Tinsley became disruptive, leading the pilot to turn the plane back from the runway.
The flight was delayed by about two hours.
Garda Bilal had opposed bail, citing flight risk, as the accused lives outside the jurisdiction. The Ballymun-based officer told the court that the victim suffered a "visible injury" to his face and provided a formal witness statement.
Tinsley, who has yet to enter a plea, had agreed to abide by conditions when he takes up bail: surrender his passport, stay away from Dublin Airport, and sign on once a week at Dundalk Garda station.
