This article is from page 11 of the 2014-04-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
SECURITY measures have been reviewed at Shannon after a drunk man scaled a perimeter fence and gained access to the airside area of the airport.
The alert was raised in the early hours of April 12 after a man was seen in a restricted area outside one of the airport buildings. The man, who had walked towards the airport in the drunken belief he was going towards Limerick, was apprehended and arrested by gardaí.
A senior garda said last week there was nothing sinister about the man’s reason for climbing over the airport fence.
When contacted last week, a spokesman for Shannon Airport said Shannon did not comment on security matters at the international airport.
Details of the incursion at Shannon were outlined at Ennis District Court on Wednesday where a 32-year-old Polish man pleaded guilty to trespassing on the airport in a manner that was likely to cause fear.
He also pleaded guilty to being intoxicated and scaling the airport perimeter fence contrary to airport byelaws under the Air and Transport Navigation Act.
Mr Zareba, with a former address at Cratloe Suites, Two Mile Inn, Ennis Road, Limerick, was celebrating his last day of work as a plane sprayer with a friend at the Shannon Knights, the court heard.
Inspector Tom Kennedy said the accused had drank a bottle of vodka by the time he left the pub and started walking towards Shannon Airport in the belief he was going to Limerick. Insp Kennedy said the man scaled the 3.5 metre palisade fence and was spotted by security staff at around 5am.
“It would appear in his stupor, he was unable to tell if he was inside or outside the fence and was still looking for Limerick,” added Insp Kennedy.
He told the court there was nothing sinister about the incident. However he said Mr Zareba’s incursion did create a “flurry of activity” at the time and led to a review of security arrangements at the airport. Mr Zareba has no previous convictions.
Solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick said his client, a married man who lived in Ireland for six years, was genuinely apologetic. “He had no intention of going to the airport. He wanted to go home. He was intoxicated.”
Judge Patrick Durcan said this was a “bizarre case”. Noting the accused’s good record, his guilty plea and the fact that gardaí accepted he had misdirected himself to the airport because he was drunk, Judge Durcan ordered Mr Zareba to pay € 500 to the court poor box meaning he will have no criminal record. The court heard Mr Zareba is to start a new job in the Czech Republic.