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Mentally ill plane passenger 'aggressively wielded bible' and punched garda
Summary
A mentally ill passenger who aggressively wielded a bible and assaulted a garda at Dublin Airport will be released from custody after his prison sentence was suspended. Gavin Risden (48), of no fixed abode in the United Kingdom, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Conor Neill on June 3 last. Air traffic control had alerted gardai to an unruly passenger on a transatlantic flight from Newark. Risden was aggressive, waving a bible and claiming to be royalty with royal blood. When gardai asked him to step off the plane, he refused and punched the garda eight times, causing him to be dazed and suffer facial bruising. Another garda pepper sprayed Risden, but this was deemed a suboptimal approach as it occurred inside the plane. Some passengers were also affected by the spray. Risden escaped initially but was eventually arrested in Terminal 2. He has no previous convictions and has been in custody since the incident. His defence highlighted his mental health issues and lack of medication.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Mentally ill plane passenger 'aggressively wielded bible' and punched garda. Charges or matters: assaulting Garda Conor Neill at Dublin Airport on June 3 last. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 3 Incident
- 2025-12-17 Publication
Why: A plane passenger who aggressively wielded a bible and assaulted a garda because he was not taking his schizophrenia medication will be released from custody, after seeing the balance of his prison sentence suspended. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: assaulting Garda Conor Neill at Dublin Airport on June 3 last (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: She handed down a sentence of nine months' imprisonment, with the balance to be suspended from tomorrow.
Places mentioned
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