An American businessman has been fined in an Irish court after an air rage incident on board a United Airlines flight to Shannon at the weekend.
According to the Irish Examiner, Stephen Herring had to be physically restrained after he displayed 'obnoxious behaviour' towards his fellow passengers and the United crew during the flight from Newark, for which he later apologized.
Herring told the court he had 'blacked out' after taking sleeping tablets and alcohol, inferring that his behavior was out of character.
Herring had planned a vacation in Ireland but when the plane landed at Shannon Airport he was met by Irish police officers. The captain of United Airlines flight 24 from Newark had earlier informed them of a disturbance on board.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told the Examiner that Herring had refused to put on his seatbelt or sit down. His manner was described by passengers and crew as obnoxious and one female passenger moved seats due to his offensive language. Eventually a crew member forcibly restrained him.
Herring, from Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to all three charges against him under the Air Navigation and Transport Act.
Lawyer Aoife Corridan said her client was ashamed and appalled, explaining that Herring took one Ambien sleeping tablet after two alcoholic drinks before boarding his Shannon bound flight in Newark. After that, Herring claimed he blacked out. The next thing he recalls, Corridan said, was waking up in handcuffs.
Insp Kennedy said that cabin crew felt that Mr Herring was disorientated. “Mr Herring was obnoxious to people around him to say the least. Both the captain and the passenger sitting closest to him said that he was acting irrationally."
The court heard that Herring, who runs a family business that employs 13 people, is also raising a daughter who he shares joint custody of.
His lawyer, Aoife Corridan, said that he "completely blacked out and remembers nothing" after taking an Ambien sleeping pill with after having a few drinks as the plane departed Newark for Shannon.
Corridan stated that the medical information on Ambien warns against taking with alcohol as mixing with drink "affects the central nervous system, impairs judgement, thinking and psycho motor skills."
She said he had a few drinks on the flight from Texas to Newark prior to flying to Ireland and "his next memory is waking up in handcuffs in utter terror".
She said, "He is utterly appalled and very remorseful after being told about what he did - it is something that is entirely out of character and the only explanation is the combination of the Ambien and the alcohol."
Her client “should have properly heeded the warning on Ambien and not consumed alcohol and he wouldn't have found himself in this sitiuation".
She stated that she had 15 references to give to the court from people very concerned about him. She said: "They are utterly shocked to hear of the situation."
Judge John O'Neill told the court that taking sleeping tablets or alcohol are no excuse for the anxiety Herring caused other passengers, but he agreed that the matter could have been more serious.
Judge O'Neill struck out the charges on condition that Stephen Herring made a $625 donation to the Clare Crusaders Children's Charity.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.timbobdennehy | Sep 02, 2012, 03:58 PM EDT
altitude can have an effect on people who only drink tea.it doubles the effect of alcohol.i have nearly always fallen asleep myself,except for take off and landing ,the exciting parts of flight,ok the views are awesome too.
joan1954 | Sep 01, 2012, 05:41 PM EDT
There have been times when I have had take something but I WOULD never take it with alcholic drinks. I value my life too much for that.
IrelandNorth | Aug 24, 2012, 07:43 AM EDT
Is the Clare Crusader's Children's Charity (CCCC) a charity that looks after the children of residents of County Clare who were Crusaders in the middle ages? If so, is it advisable to be encouraging impressionable children that it's OK to go to the Middle East and kill Muslims. And how ethical is it to impose a fine in the form of an enforced contribiution to a charity one may not agree with?
sorxia02144 | Aug 23, 2012, 02:53 PM EDT
Kevin, booze AND alcohol? Aren't those the same things?
redhand32 | Aug 23, 2012, 10:24 AM EDT
Hypocrites: The "War on Drugs" (Welfare Program for Law Enforcement)= bad ; Prescriptions Alcohol tobacco Drugs =good. Except this guy. The entire country is hopped up on Pharma "legal" drugs, driving cars, heavy machinery, driving trains, flying planes, etc. But, God-forbid some person grows a pot plant in the privacy of his/her home, the "th war on drugs" magic wand unleashes the gargoyles.
Towngate | Aug 23, 2012, 09:10 AM EDT
'Obnoxious American flies abroad and causes trouble' ... now there's a surprise! ...
pilib04 | Aug 23, 2012, 08:42 AM EDT
Bogsidebunny, slante? I thought it was slainte?
pilib04 | Aug 23, 2012, 08:26 AM EDT
If I pay the exorbitant fees for flying transcontinental, I don't expect to be harrassed by some loud-mouth, obnoxious Texan. They clearly are the crudest people on the planet. You don't ever want to be around them while traveling. They complain about everything. The nicest Texan is probably going to be the most obnoxious person you will meet in your lifetime.
pilib04 | Aug 23, 2012, 08:22 AM EDT
Yeah, an American businessman does drugs and alcohol and claims he has no recollection of his obnoxious behavior and foul language. Now insert football hooligan for American businessman and guess what the sentence would be.
murphy666 | Aug 23, 2012, 02:02 AM EDT
Antoinette, learn the difference between "infer" and "imply."
Mousemess | Aug 22, 2012, 03:03 PM EDT
Na husaidigi alcol agus drugai ag an am ceanna. Don't use alcohol and drugs at the same time.
Mousemess | Aug 22, 2012, 02:53 PM EDT
Shannon Airport = Aerfort na Sionnainne
Kevin Longan | Aug 22, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT
As a native of the area just north of the Red River I never thought I'd defend Texas or Texans, but I have to interject. Herring is from Houston? 80% of the people I know from Houston aren't even FROM Houston; it's one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the States so hold off on the anti-Texas rhetoric until you get your facts straight (if you are so inclined to do so). Much ado about nothing, in my opinion, although I think the penalty was too light. Messing around with booze and alcohol at any time is dangerous, let alone on an international flight. Just sayin'..
mamaginnty | Aug 22, 2012, 12:27 PM EDT
Bogside get a life, these things can happen. Very quiet on this subject but if it read irishman on air rage charge boy would there be comments about the drunken irish.
pepcaone | Aug 22, 2012, 12:15 PM EDT
If you're not responsible enough to follow simple instructions then you get what you deserve. Big shocker this idiot is from Texas.
Ms.Gail | Aug 22, 2012, 11:52 AM EDT
Even under medical supervision and following directions, sometimes strange results arise. Since he doesn't seem to have a history of such behaviour, I think the Judge provided a wise penalty.
Fran Connor | Aug 22, 2012, 10:40 AM EDT
You're being too harsh, Bogside. The same thing happened to my wife twenty years ago. Totally out of character! Be careful mixing booze when you're taking medication.
ArmaghCity | Aug 22, 2012, 09:41 AM EDT
My advice for Texans: If at first you don't secede, try and try again. Please?
bogsidebunny | Aug 22, 2012, 08:25 AM EDT
Yup, and the Irish justice system reacted in its usual inept, but percunious way. Donate €300 to some obscure charity, which the judge is a patron of I'm sure, and he's told: "Bad Boy and have a nice holliday in Ireland". "Make sure you tell ALL you're friends back home how well you were treated for an errrrrr, misjudgement and tell them to visit Ireland with lots of greenbacks. Bye-bye, Slanté. He should have been locked-up in the slammer for 6 months minimum.