UK Flight forced to turn back after teenager is s3xually assaulted by passenger sitting next to her

Thursday, February 5, 2026 - A UK flight to the US was forced to turn back after a teenage girl was s£xually ass@ulted by a passenger seated next to her.

A 58-year-old farmer has pleaded guilty to s£xually ass@ulting the then 16-year-old girl on board an Aer Lingus flight bound for Boston, triggering a costly diversion back to Shannon Airport in Ireland on November 15, 2023.

According to the Irish Mirror, Patrick Noone admitted two counts of s£xual ass@ult when he appeared before Ennis Circuit Court on Tuesday, reports the Irish Mirror.

The incident occurred after the young girl informed the cabin crew around an hour into the flight that the man sitting beside her had touched her inappropriately. Members of the airplane staff then alerted the captain, who subsequently decided to abandon the transatlantic journey and return the aircraft to Ireland.

Mr Noone, from Curragh, County Galway, pleaded guilty to rubbing and grabbing the girl's buttocks during the flight, which was still within Irish jurisdiction.

He also admitted to kissing her arm and rubbing her thigh.

His counsel, Antoinette Simon BL, told the court that Mr Noone is a self-employed farmer with no previous convictions.

She requested a probation report ahead of sentencing, saying it could shed light on his offending.

Judge Francis Comerford granted the request and ordered the Irish police to seek a victim impact statement from the complainant.

Mr Noone had not previously been publicly named in connection with the case, and Judge Comerford said he saw no basis for imposing reporting restrictions on the accused.

Arrangements had been made in December for the witnesses in the US to provide their evidence via video-link for the trial.

Ms Comerford explained that the teenager's grandmother was a witness, along with two other women who were on the flight at the time of the incident.

She also said the complainant - now aged 18 - is currently studying in a US college.

When the case was before the district court, Judge Alec Gabbett transferred the case to the circuit court, where more serious penalties apply on conviction after hearing an outline of the case against the man.

Officer Ruth O’Sullivan told the court previously that the costs to Aer Lingus of returning the Boston-bound aircraft to Shannon are around £24,000.