Cabin crew member who made 'depraved' Dublin Airport toilet videos spared jail

Tom Tuite

An airline cabin crew member who made “depraved” videos of males going to the toilet in Dublin Airport has been spared jail.

Antonio Atoche, 31, a Spanish national previously residing at Nurseries, Forrest Road, Swords, Co Dublin, was handed a one-month suspended sentence by Judge Valerie Corcoran.

“It’s a depraved act; these individuals had their personal privacy invaded, and they were not even aware they were recorded,” she said, branding his actions as inexcusable.

Atoche pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to a charge contrary to Section 45 (3) Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017, stating that on June 11th, 2025, he did intentionally engage in offensive conduct of a sexual nature by making recordings of unidentified males' genitalia whilst they were urinating in a male bathroom in Terminal 1.

Shortly after 2pm on the date of the offence, Atoche “was taking video recordings in the bathrooms of other unknown males who were using the urinals".

Airport police approached him, and he handed over his phone. Gardaí discovered that five videos, all made on the same date, featured other males who could not be identified and had not given their consent.

Atoche had no prior convictions.

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disposal in the District Court where the offence is punishable by a maximum six-month sentence.

Judge Corcoran accepted jurisdiction.

Defence counsel Paddy Flynn pleaded for leniency, telling the court it was an isolated incident and happened in a “moment of madness” and that it was without sexual gratification or any element of sexual exposure.

He said Atoche put his hands up straight away and cooperated with the Garda inquiry.

He said his client had been suffering a breakdown.

Counsel said that Atoche was remorseful, and the barrister cited case law mandating a sentencing judge to consider not only the gravity of the offence but also the personal circumstances of the offender.

The court heard he was a cabin crew member and lived in Ireland for two and a half years. He holds a master's degree in secondary school education and an English degree.

He also stressed that his client had suffered a breakdown, and his mental health issues had been triggered at a young age. Mr Flynn said Atoche, who did not address the court, still could not explain his actions.

He returned to Spain once gardaí were satisfied he cooperated with the investigation, and he has been going to weekly counselling sessions for the last two months.

The judge was also informed that the accused was single, had not worked since then, and it had a huge toll on him.

Judge Corcoran noted that the accused had not provided documentary evidence confirming he was attending therapy. Counsel referred to mental health guidelines in relation to sentencing, stating that a form of diagnosis is not always required.

However, he said that the most valuable piece of mitigation was the early guilty plea, and he has come before the court with trauma in his life.

The court heard that he had offered €1,000 in compensation, but the judge deemed that a compensation payment or a poor-box payment was not appropriate in this case. She said the victims were unaware of the acts perpetrated on them.

Mr Flynn submitted that it was at the low end of the scale of offending, and a conviction would be hugely detrimental for him.

Finalising the case, the judge said the court would convict him. She noted that there were five clips, and the crime featured an element of premeditation because he continued making videos, and there were aggravating factors.

"This is a particularly depraved act; individuals after flights or en route to flights are using public toilets. It’s a depraved act; these individuals had their personal privacy invaded, and they were not even aware they were being recorded."

However, she noted the mitigating factors and personal history, and concluded that it fell within the low to medium range in relation to offending.

She indicated that she could adjourn the case for a report but stated that she would not be imposing a custodial sentence, at which the accused requested that sentencing proceed forthwith.

The sentence was suspended for 12 months on condition that the defendant remains of good behaviour.