Rhys Meyers escapes with caution over ruckus
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Jonathan Rhys Meyers – pictured last month with his girlfriend Reema Hammer at his mother Geraldine's funeral in Glanmire, Co Cork – escaped yesterday with a caution following his arrest at Dublin Airport in November
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Thursday Dec 6 2007
Hollywood star Jonathan Rhys Meyers escaped with a caution after public order charges against the actor were dropped at a Dublin court yesterday.
Just days before the death of his mother, Geri Meyers O'Keeffe, the Cork-born star of 'The Tudors' was arrested at Dublin Airport on November 18 last.
The Golden Globe-winning actor, who has spoken out about his struggle with alcohol, was refused permission to board a flight to the UK before being taken by gardai to nearby Whitehall Garda Station for allegedly being drunk and disorderly.
A crowd of the actor's excited young fans were left disappointed as the 30-year-old did not appear at the Bridewell District Court.
In the packed Court 45, Garda Noel Barry said Mr Rhys Meyers had made no reply when he was cautioned on November 18 last.
A solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecution's (DPP) office told Judge Angela Ni Chonduin the DPP had directed the charges be withdrawn and the case would be dealt with under the Adult Cautioning Scheme.
Solicitor Michael Staines, representing Mr Rhys Meyers, said: "My client, nonetheless, instructed me to say he absolutely accepts his behaviour was unacceptable." The court heard the behaviour was "out of character" for him.
Apologises
"He unreservedly apologises, in particular to British Midlands staff, security staff and the gardai," Mr Staines said.
His solicitor said the actor would also be making an undisclosed donation to a charity, which was not named in court.
As a result of the caution and the charges being withdrawn, Mr Rhys Meyers, who gave his address as Arlington Road, London, will have no criminal record arising out of the incident.
Mr Rhys Meyers had faced two charges of intoxication in public and threatening and abusive behaviour at Dublin Airport on November 18 under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994.
After being escorted to Whitehall Garda Station that evening, he was later released on bail of €400.
The scheme the actor was cautioned under, known as the Adult Cautioning Scheme, was introduced by the courts last year as an alternative to prosecuting adults for a number of specific criminal offences.
It is used as an alternative to prosecution in cases where there is evidence the person has committed the offence and where the prosecution is not required in the public interest.
Mr Rhys Meyers would also have been issued with a warning that any future behaviour of a criminal kind would likely result in a prosecution.
Before the scheme is applied, the actor would also have had to accept responsibility for his behaviour.
The actor had been in Dublin last month to appear on RTE's 'Tubridy Tonight', and had been in good spirits on the show, discussing his new movie 'August Rush', which is currently in cinemas, and the hit US series 'The Tudors'.
Just two days after the actor's arrest, his mother, Geri (51), who had been in poor health, died in hospital. Dozens of the actor's colleagues, including Neil Jordan who gave the actor his first break in the movie 'Michael Collins', turned up to comfort him at her funeral in Glanmire, Co Cork.
Friends, neighbours and other actors, including Colin Farrell, his 'Tudors' co-star Maria Doyle Kennedy, his girlfriend Reena Hammer and 'Father Ted' actress Pauline McLynn, also joined in the two-minute round of applause the actor led for his mother.
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