Gardaí seize Ukrainian author’s passport after she allegedly ‘tailgated’ onto flight

Marina Hrabar failed to turn up for her scheduled appearance at Dublin District Court on June 1.

Three months after a judge issued a bench warrant, gardai located her and brought her back before the court which allowed her to remain on bail and ordered her to appear again on September 30.

Gardai originally arrested Ms Hrabar (47) on May 27, after an alert from Terminal 1 about the scheduled 2 pm Luxair flight LG4884 to Luxembourg.

They charged her with offences under the Air Navigation and Transport Act.

She is accused of knowingly causing a false alarm by boarding the aircraft without a boarding card for the flight. The second charge is for obstructing an authorised officer. She has not yet indicated a plea.

The court had heard Ms Hrabar came to Ireland as a refugee to escape the Russian bombing of her home city Kharkiv.

She had been given accommodation in Dublin's O'Connell Street area but is currently of no fixed abode.

Garda Emer Lawlor had said the accused "made no reply" to the charges.

Outlining the evidence, Garda Lawlor had said Ms Hrabar “got through the barriers without a boarding pass”.

Garda Lawlor alleged she "knowingly tail-gated passengers through the airport and onto a plane, and caused an alarm on the plane".

Garda Lawlor alleged the woman then "attempted to run from an authorised officer".

“I am not guilty,” Ms Hrabar had told a bail hearing a day after her arrest.

She had explained that she was educated, a writer, and had accommodation on O'Connell Street, supported by Trinity College.

However, the court heard she had moved from there. Ms Hrabar had told the court she was "under protection from Ireland" and that the Irish had been generous to her.

Gardai were ordered to seize her passport.