Man faces 20 years jail for 'assault' on NY flight

Albany: A 29-year-old Irishman who misbehaved during a flight from Dublin to New York and exposed his rear end to a flight attendant faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of assault, the Justice Department said.

The man identified as Shane McInerney reportedly refused to wear a Covid mask during a Delta Airlines flight on January 7.

The 29-year-old appeared before a judge in New York a week later and was charged with “intentionally assaulting and intimidating a member of a flight crew,” according to a criminal complaint unsealed Friday.

It said the suspect repeatedly refused to wear a mask, threw a beverage can and hit a passenger in the head, and “pulled down his pants and underwear and mooned a flight attendant and passengers.”

A court spokesman said that if convicted of this felony charge McInerney could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The man was headed to Florida to take up a job at a football academy and was released on $20,000 bail as he awaits trial.

Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it would observe a zero tolerance policy toward people who reject federal rules mandating mask-wearing on US domestic flights. 

This came as flight attendants reported a high number of incidents of verbal and physical abuse from travelers who refuse to wear a mask.