Laurence Dollimore
AN Irish woman on a Ryanair flight was so drunk after landing that she thought she was still in Spain, a court has heard.
Ciara Bradshaw, 38, from Limerick, pleaded guilty yesterday to two charges under the Air Navigation and Transport Act.
It came after she became incredibly intoxicated and hurled verbal abuse at staff and passengers on board a Ryanair flight from Alicante to Shannon on August 17.
Her defence team blamed ‘a toxic mix’ of alcohol and prescription medication, which Bradshaw had allegedly taken to calm her nerves over flying.
Her lawyer John Casey said he spoke to the Irish police which arrested her on arrival to Ireland.
“Ms Bradshaw was in such a state that she thought she was still in Spain, she didn’t realise that she was back in Ireland,” he told the court.
Judge John King said: “What makes this worse than a general public order offence is that this happened in the aircraft cabin and there is nowhere for people to go.”
Casey admitted his client took Xanax and alcohol before getting on board.
Sgt Aiden Lonergan revealed more details, saying said single mum Bradshaw had consumed her own alcohol, including bottles of Bailey’s Irish Cream and Smirnoff vodka and had also smoked a cigarette.
According to the police chief, the pilot called the cops warning of a passenger so drunk that there was a fear she could hurt herself or others.
Casey told the court his client, a factory worker in Limerick, had no previous convictions.
“She has worked all her life. She has good standing in the community and a very good job,” he said.
He added that she is ‘deeply remorseful’ and ’embarrassed’.
Bradshaw wanted to apologise unreservedly to staff, gardaí and other passengers, he said.
She was fined €500 and is on probation.
Judge King said her previous good standing saved her from a tougher sentence.
