DUBLIN, Ireland: A 59-year-old man described as a "spiritual healer" and a farmer from Co Galway has avoided jail after a court gave him a fully suspended prison sentence for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on a transatlantic flight.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford handed Patrick Noone a 20-month prison term but suspended it in full. Noone, from Curragh, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, was convicted on two counts of sexually assaulting an American teenager on an Aer Lingus flight from Shannon Airport to Boston on November 15, 2023.

The judge said the case had already gained public attention.

The court heard that during the flight, Noone touched the girl in a sexual way and kissed her arm after making inappropriate comments about her. There was a 40-year age gap between them. The teenager said he told her he was traveling to Boston and then to New Hampshire to "heal a house."

In her victim impact statement, the girl said: "I never felt more violated, nor more afraid."

Noone, who has four daughters, told the court he had drunk five or six whiskeys before boarding the flight and was taking medication at the time. The judge said he did not consider a claim that Noone had suffered a brain injury after being kicked by a horse a month earlier.

The court also heard that the incident led to the breakdown of Noone's marriage. In a probation report, he said he now lives with the consequences of his actions every day.

The teenager described how, while sitting beside her, Noone repeatedly touched her inappropriately during the flight, including when she was trying to rest. Although he had been assigned a window seat, he chose to sit in the middle seat next to her. Her mother, sister, and grandmother were seated across the aisle.

Prosecuting counsel told the court that Noone made several comments about the girl's appearance, saying she was very attractive and unaware of it. He also made remarks suggesting she looked mature for her age and behaved in a sexualised way towards her, including touching her arm and kissing her hand.

The court heard that he warned her not to let her family see what he was doing. He then escalated his actions by touching her thigh and later reaching behind the seat to grab her.

The teenager said she tried to distract him by offering him sweets so he would stop touching her.

After she informed cabin crew, the captain was alerted and decided to turn the plane back to Shannon Airport, where Noone was arrested. He was later taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick after complaining of chest pain.

The flight diversion cost more than 28,000 euros.

When questioned by gardaí, Noone said he did not remember touching the girl or making any of the comments. He said he was shocked and horrified when told about the allegations.