Ireland Case No. 0457Sexual assault · Co. Clare · 15 Nov 2023
Galway man sentenced for sexual assault on Boston-bound flight
On 15 November 2023, Patrick Noone, a Co Galway farmer, was alleged to have sexually assaulted a then 16-year-old American girl on an Aer Lingus flight from Shannon to Boston. After cabin crew raised the allegation, the captain turned the plane back to Shannon, where Noone was arrested, and he was charged with two counts of sexual assault. The case moved from the District Court to the Circuit Court, and Noone pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court on 3 February 2026. He was sentenced at Ennis Circuit Court to a fully suspended 20-month prison term, as reported on 1 August 2026.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court23 Oct
3 reports - Convicted3 Feb
2 reports - Sentenced1 Aug
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A girl told cabin crew that a male passenger seated beside her had touched her inappropriately.
- Where
- The offences took place on an Aer Lingus transatlantic flight from Shannon to Boston.
- When
- The offences are dated 15 November 2023, about an hour into the flight at around 3.30pm, after it left Shannon at around 2.30pm.
- Cause
- Cabin crew told the captain, who turned the plane back over the Atlantic to Shannon for the safety of everyone on board.
- Investigation
- Statements were obtained from the girl and her family at Shannon Airport during the turnaround.
- Noone was arrested at Shannon Airport after the plane landed there, and he made no reply after caution.
- Charges
- Noone was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl, one involving kissing her arm and rubbing her thigh and the other involving rubbing and grabbing her buttocks.
- In court
- Two other charges against Noone were withdrawn, and the case was transferred from the District Court to the Circuit Court, where more serious penalties apply on conviction.
- The judge granted permission for four State witnesses to give evidence by video link from the US, at the prosecution's request for the complainant, who studies at a US college.
- On 3 February 2026 Noone pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to two counts of sexual assault under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act.
- The judge ordered a probation report and directed gardaí to seek a victim impact statement, and the Probation Service concluded Noone is at low risk of reoffending.
- Sentence
- Judge Francis Comerford imposed a fully suspended 20-month prison term on Noone, whom the judge said had offended in the lower range but whose offences were serious because the victim was 16.
- Other details
- Noone, described as 58 at his plea and 59 at sentencing, is a father of four daughters and has no previous convictions, according to his counsel.
- Gardaí and Aer Lingus said the cost of returning the aircraft to Shannon was €28,213.
- Reporting restrictions prevent the identification of the accused and the complainant.
83 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA girl told cabin crew that a male passenger sitting beside her had touched her inappropriately. (limerickleader.ie)
- whatThe accused is a 58-year-old man from Co Galway who is denying two counts of sexual assault. (clareecho.ie)
- whatA young girl told cabin crew that a male passenger beside her had touched her inappropriately. (clareecho.ie)
- whatThe captain turned the flight back to Shannon after being told of the alleged assault. (clareecho.ie)
- whatHe pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girl by rubbing and grabbing her buttocks on the flight. (clareecho.ie)
- whatHe pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girl by kissing her arm and rubbing her thigh. (clareecho.ie)
- whatA man pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of a then 16-year-old girl on an Aer Lingus flight bound for Boston. (rte.ie)
- whatOne count involved rubbing and grabbing the girl's buttocks on board the flight. (rte.ie)
- whatThe second count involved kissing the girl's arm and rubbing her thigh on the flight. (rte.ie)
- whatNoone received a suspended 20-month prison term for two counts of sexual assault (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone groped the teenager and kissed her arm (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone had five or six whiskeys before the flight and was on medication (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone is a father of four daughters (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone was allocated a window seat but sat in the middle beside the teenager (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone kissed her arm, moved his hand to her thigh, and grabbed her buttocks (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe captain flew the aircraft back to Shannon where Noone was arrested (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone was brought by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick after complaining of chest pains (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe cost of the diverted flight was more than €28,000 (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone said he was horrified and shocked and had no recollection of the incident (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe seat belt lights were still on during the incident (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone has no previous conviction (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone is a spiritual healer who travels abroad and has guided tours on his farm (irishtimes.com)
- whatNoone spent 15 days in Castlerea Prison for a breach of a court order (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe alleged offences took place on an Aer Lingus flight from Shannon to Boston. (limerickleader.ie)
- whereThe alleged offences happened on an Aer Lingus Shannon to Boston flight. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe flight was a transatlantic Aer Lingus flight. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe alleged assaults took place on board an Aer Lingus transatlantic flight. (clareecho.ie)
- whereThe guilty plea was entered at Ennis Circuit Court. (clareecho.ie, rte.ie)
- whereThe assault took place on an Aer Lingus flight from Shannon to Boston (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged offences took place on 15 November 2023. (limerickleader.ie, thejournal.ie)
- whenThe flight departed Shannon at around 2.30pm. (limerickleader.ie)
- whenThe next circuit court sitting is early next year, with a call over date on 13 December. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe alleged offences occurred on 15 November 2023 on the Shannon to Boston flight. (clareecho.ie)
- whenThe two sexual assault counts relate to 15 November 2023. (clareecho.ie)
- whenThe offences are dated 15 November 2023. (rte.ie)
- whenThe incident happened about an hour into the transatlantic flight, at around 3.30pm. (rte.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred on 15 November 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- causeCabin crew informed the captain that a male passenger had allegedly touched a teenage girl inappropriately, and the plane was turned back. (clareecho.ie)
- investigationStatements were obtained from the girl and her family at Shannon airport during the short turnaround. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationThe accused was arrested for the purpose of charge shortly before the court sitting. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationThe accused made no reply after caution. (limerickleader.ie)
- investigationA Garda gave evidence of serving the Book of Evidence in the case. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationStatements were obtained from the girl and her family at Shannon Airport during the turnaround. (clareecho.ie)
- investigationCabin crew informed the captain that a male passenger had touched a teenage girl inappropriately. (rte.ie)
- chargeThe accused was charged with two counts of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. (limerickleader.ie)
- chargeOne charge alleges kissing her arm and rubbing up and down her thigh. (limerickleader.ie)
- chargeAnother charge alleges rubbing and grabbing her buttocks on the flight. (limerickleader.ie)
- chargeThe accused is charged with two counts of sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeOne charge alleges kissing her arm and rubbing up and down her thigh with his hand. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe second charge alleges rubbing and grabbing her buttocks on the flight. (thejournal.ie, clareecho.ie)
- chargeThe first charge alleges kissing her arm and rubbing her thigh with his hand. (clareecho.ie)
- chargeThe accused pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault under Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act. (rte.ie)
- courtThe Director of Public Prosecutions consented to the case being heard in the district court on a guilty plea only. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtThe judge declined district court jurisdiction, so the case will be transferred to the circuit court. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtA Book of Evidence is required before the case can be forwarded to the circuit court. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtThe accused was remanded on bail to appear again on 27 November. (limerickleader.ie)
- courtThe case was transferred to the circuit court earlier. (thejournal.ie)
- courtTwo other charges against the accused have been withdrawn. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe accused was remanded on continuing bail. (thejournal.ie)
- courtReporting restrictions on the identity of the accused and the complainant were continued. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe case was transferred from the District Court to the Circuit Court. (clareecho.ie)
- courtThe judge granted permission for four State witnesses to give evidence by video link from the US. (clareecho.ie)
- courtThe prosecution asked for the complainant's evidence to be given by video link from the US because she is studying in a US college. (clareecho.ie)
- courtThe accused's counsel said he consented to the application and did not oppose it. (clareecho.ie)
- courtThe accused was remanded on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis Circuit Court on 3 February. (clareecho.ie)
- courtThe judge granted a probation report for sentencing and directed gardaí to seek a victim impact statement. (clareecho.ie)
- courtThe case was sent from the District Court to the Circuit Court, where more serious penalties apply on conviction. (rte.ie)
- courtThe guilty plea was offered more than two weeks before the hearing. (rte.ie)
- courtA probation report was requested for the sentencing hearing. (rte.ie)
- courtThe judge directed gardaí to seek a victim impact statement from the complainant. (rte.ie)
- courtThe judge said the assaults fell into the lower range of offending but were serious as perpetrated on a 16-year-old (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge did not take into account a claim of acquired brain injury from a horse kick in October 2023 (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe captain decided to turn the flight back to Shannon for the safety of everyone on board. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherThe cost to Aer Lingus of returning the aircraft to Shannon was €28,213. (limerickleader.ie, clareecho.ie)
- otherThe judge imposed reporting restrictions so neither the accused nor the complainant can be identified. (limerickleader.ie)
- otherThe captain turned the aircraft around over the Atlantic Ocean after being told of the alleged touching. (thejournal.ie)
- otherGardaí said the cost to Aer Lingus of returning the aircraft to Shannon was €28,213. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe costs of turning the flight back to Shannon were €28,213. (clareecho.ie)
- otherThe accused has no previous convictions, according to his counsel. (clareecho.ie)
- otherThe captain turned the plane around and flew back to Shannon Airport. (rte.ie)
- otherReturning the aircraft to Shannon cost Aer Lingus €28,213. (rte.ie)
- otherThe accused has no previous convictions. (rte.ie)
- otherA Probation Service report concluded Noone is at low risk of reoffending (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Aug2026Galway ‘spiritual healer’ receives suspended prison term for sexually assaulting teenager on flight
Reports the sentencing of Patrick Noone at Ennis Circuit Court, including details of the assault, the victim's impact statement, the diversion of the flight, and the judge's reasoning.
victim, 16, female, American, non-irishconvicted, Patrick Noone, 59, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Noone - 3 Feb2026Man pleads guilty to sexual assault of girl on flight
Reports the guilty plea entered at Ennis Circuit Court on 3 February 2026. Sentencing is pending, with a probation report and a victim impact statement requested. No existing case matched.
convicted, Patrick Noone, 58, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Noonevictim, 16, female - 3 Feb2026Ballinasloe farmer pleads guilty to sexual assault of girl (16) on Shannon to Boston flight - Clare Echo
Guilty plea entered at Ennis Circuit Court; judge ordered a probation report and a victim impact statement before sentencing.
victim, 16, femaleconvicted, Patrick Noone, 58, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick Noone - 27 Dec2025Permission given for US college student to give video-link evidence in Aer Lingus flight sex assault case - Clare Echo
Court hearing on video-link evidence for the trial, which is due next February. The accused is remanded on continuing bail to 3 February. The article adds that the case was transferred from the District Court to the Circuit Court, and that the flight was turned back to Shannon.
accused, 58, malevictim, 16, female - 27 Nov2024Galway man returned for trial for alleged sexual assault of teenage girl on Aer Lingus flight
Reports the accused being returned for trial at Ennis District Court, the two charges, the two withdrawn charges and the bail and reporting-restriction orders.
accused, 57, malevictim, 16, female - 23 Oct2024Man in court accused of sexually assaulting young girl on transatlantic flight from Shannon
First report of the case. The article covers the district court appearance, the charges, the flight being turned back to Shannon, and the judge declining district court jurisdiction.
accused, 57, malevictim, 16, female