A 55 year old French Waiter who's drunken behaviour lead to the diversion of a flight to Shannon Airport has walked free from court.
Som Chanh – a native of Cambodia – was before Ennis District Court for being intoxicated on a flight, and engaging in threatening and offensive behaviour contrary to the Air Navigation and Transport Act.
Before Monday, the 55-year old had only flown once before in his life – in 1977, when he came to France as a refugee -escaping the horrors of political conflict in his home country which still cause him nightmares and flashbacks.
Just Patrick Durkan was told the Paris-based waiter drank a naggin of whiskey before the flight during which he threatened to open the door of the plane and grabbed a member of cabin crew by the arm.
He noted the 55-year old single man had been on the trip of a lifetime, to be reunited the mother he had lost contact with in the 1970's and purchased his airline ticket out of €945 he won on a Euromillions draw.
While Judge Durkan described Mr Chanh's behaviour as very serious, and heard it cost the airline over €10,000 he questioned how he was allowed to board a flight in a drunken state, and said the court must sympathise with the defendant’s trauma.
Applying the probation act, he wished Som Chanh luck and happiness with his family, warning him to exercise caution on aircrafts in future.
