AER LINGUS IS TO REPORT the behaviour of a Cork radio host to the gardaí after the man allegedly exposed himself on board a flight from London to Cork.
Neil Prendeville, 49, presents a daytime radio show on Cork’s 96fm which boasts a daily listenership of almost 100,000 people.
The Irish Examiner reports that as his flight took off from London on the evening of 19 October, Prendeville was seen to expose himself and masturbate in his front-row seat.
A female passenger sat on one side of him and a male passenger on the other, and the seats faced two air hostesses.
One of the hostesses intervened when the plane was in the air. She spoke to Prendeville and the guests alongside him, and the Examiner reports that the airline has compiled reports on the incident.
The head of Aer Lingus security Mark Dunphy said the airline would be making a formal complaint to gardaí.
Following the incident, Prendeville is reported to have left a voice message on the phone of the female passenger who had sat beside him on the flight, apologising for any offence he may have caused her:
I took some Nurofen Plus alright, I know that, for my neck. And as you know, with me anyway there was pints and wine and stuff and Jesus I don’t know where I’d begin to make it up to you.
He said he did not remember the incident and was shocked when he heard about it.
Prendeville responds
Speaking on Cork’s 96fm this morning, Prendeville confirmed that he was on the flight in question but could not remember the incident on board.
He said he remembered taking painkilling tablets for a persistent neck injury “along with alcohol while at the restaurant”, but remembers nothing about the flight and getting home.
Speaking of the allegations made against him, he said: “I can’t deny that they’re not [true] because I just don’t recall”.
He added: “I would like to offer deepest apologies to the passengers on the plane, to the flight personnel, to my family, to my employers and my work colleagues and to all of the people of Cork”. He said he “apologises unreservedly to all concerned”.
He also warned people not to mix painkillers and alcohol.
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