Airplane Passenger Drank ‘Mind-Boggling’ Amount of Alcohol Before Sexually Assaulting Crew Member

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A passenger drank what a court described as a “mind-boggling” amount of alcohol before sexually assaulting a cabin crew member on a Ryanair flight, the Irish Independent reported Thursday.

The incident occurred on an inbound flight to Dublin Airport, about 40 minutes before landing. The victim, a crew member, said she was “sexually assaulted in a tight and confined space” while working.

“I was only doing my job when this happened,” she said in a victim impact statement, adding that her sense of safety has been “completely shattered.”

Aaron Brady, 31, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the woman. He told the court he had no memory of the incident and acknowledged an issue with alcohol.

Brady said he drank several bottles of wine at the airport before boarding and between 12 and 15 miniature bottles during the flight. Defense counsel described the level of consumption as “almost mind-boggling,” according to the Irish Independent.

The woman told authorities the incident began when Brady approached her and two colleagues in the rear galley of the aircraft. She said he appeared intoxicated, slurring his words and showing signs of spilled alcohol.

She said he touched her leg, grabbed her head and kissed her cheek, then forced her head toward his groin. After briefly leaving, he returned and continued to touch her over her clothing before she was able to leave and alert the flight crew.

Gardaí met the aircraft on arrival after being notified of a disruptive passenger. Brady was arrested after resisting officers and was initially deemed unfit for questioning due to intoxication, the court heard.

In her statement, the woman described lasting effects, including anxiety, panic attacks and nightmares. She said she later resigned from her role and has faced financial losses of more than €3,000 ($3,535) due to missed work and related costs.

“The road to recovery feels long and unreachable,” she said. “I hope no one else has to go through what I did.”

Brady’s counsel said his client has offered €5,000 ($5,890) as a gesture of remorse and intends to cover additional expenses. Judge Jonathan Dunphy ordered that payment be made within 24 hours and adjourned the case until June to allow for further compensation.

Addressing the court, Brady said he was “really, really sorry, sincerely” and described his actions as “out of character.”

The judge said he would “somewhat reluctantly” allow Brady to remain on bail ahead of sentencing, noting the need to address the victim’s financial losses.