Ireland Galway farmer Patrick Noone pleads guilty to sexual assault of 16-year-old on Aer Lingus flight
A male passenger was reported by cabin crew to have allegedly inappropriately touched a 16-year-old girl sitting beside him on an Aer Lingus Boston-bound flight, and the captain turned the plane back to Shannon, about an hour into the transatlantic flight at around 3.30pm. The suspect is Patrick Noone, a self-employed farmer from Curragh, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, whose age is not given. The complainant was a woman who was 16 at the time and is now 18. Noone pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on 15 November 2023 at Ennis Circuit Court, and he has not yet been sentenced. At a hearing reported on 7 February 2026, Judge Francis Comerford ordered a probation report and directed Gardaí to seek a victim impact statement ahead of sentencing.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court7 Feb
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Cabin crew informed the captain that a male passenger had allegedly inappropriately touched a teenage girl sitting beside him.
- One count concerns rubbing and grabbing the girl's buttocks, and the other concerns kissing her arm and rubbing her thigh.
- The captain turned the Boston-bound aircraft around and returned it to Shannon airport.
- Where
- The alleged assault took place on Aer Lingus flight E1 135, within the jurisdiction of the Irish State.
- When
- The incident occurred about an hour into the transatlantic flight, at around 3.30pm; the exact date is not given.
- Other details
- Aer Lingus costs of returning the Boston-bound aircraft to Shannon were 28,213 euro.
- Patrick Noone is a self-employed farmer from Curragh, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, with no previous convictions, and is described as a Celtic healer who claims to see fairies on his farmland.
- The complainant was 16 at the time of the incident, is now 18, and is studying at a US college.
- Charges
- Patrick Noone pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act.
- In court
- One report says Noone pleaded guilty when arraigned on 15 November 2023 at Ennis Circuit Court, while the key facts say Judge Alec Gabbett transferred the case from district court to circuit court, with no date given.
- Judge Francis Comerford ordered a probation report and directed Gardaí to seek a victim impact statement, as reported on 7 February 2026.
- Sentence
- No sentence has been reported; sentencing is pending.
13 statements extracted from the articles
- whatOne count involved rubbing and grabbing the girl's buttocks (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatThe other count involved kissing the girl's arm and rubbing her thigh (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatThe captain turned the Boston-bound plane around and returned to Shannon airport (galwaybeo.ie)
- whatCabin crew informed the captain that a male passenger had inappropriately touched a teenage girl sitting beside him (galwaybeo.ie)
- whereThe assault took place on Aer Lingus flight E1 135 within the jurisdiction of the Irish State (galwaybeo.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred about an hour into the transatlantic flight at around 3.30pm (galwaybeo.ie)
- chargePatrick Noone pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtJudge Francis Comerford ordered a probation report and directed Gardaí to seek a victim impact statement (galwaybeo.ie)
- courtJudge Alec Gabbett transferred the case from district court to circuit court (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherPatrick Noone is a self-employed farmer from Curragh, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Galway with no previous convictions (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherPatrick Noone is described as a Celtic healer who claims to see fairies on his farmland (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherThe complainant was 16 at the time of the offence, is now 18, and is studying in a US college (galwaybeo.ie)
- otherAer Lingus costs of returning the Boston-bound aircraft to Shannon were €28,213 (galwaybeo.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Feb2026Galway farmer who sexually assaulted teen on flight is known 'fairy whisperer'
Reports on a court hearing where a probation report and victim impact statement were ordered for sentencing; provides background on the defendant as a Celtic spiritual healer and details of the flight incident including the captain turning the plane back to Shannon.
accused, Patrick Noone, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Noonevictim, 16, female