Man charged in airliner case to remain in jail

BANGOR – Despite another attempt to be released from jail pending his trial, the man from Northern Ireland who allegedly threatened to blow up an airliner bound for Dublin, Ireland, has been ordered by a second judge to remain behind bars, according to court documents.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge George Z. Singal upheld on Thursday the previous ruling of U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret J. Kravchuk that ordered Aiden Simon Mackle, 44, of Portadown, Northern Ireland, be detained until his trial. A trial date has not been determined and Mackle is being held at Penobscot County Jail.

Mackle, who is charged with interference with a flight crew and assault, is a flight risk and could pose a danger to others because of his documented alcoholism and mental illness, according to Kravchuk’s

original detention report.

Singal agreed, stating that he’s concerned the amount of stress in Mackle’s life and the absence of an in-place mental health treatment program would result in alcohol abuse as previously documented.

“This abuse will, with or without a custodian, result in a situation where he is not likely to appear as required for court proceedings,” Singal wrote in his detention order.

In the last year, Mackle has been caring for his ailing parents in Northern Ireland and helping his sister, who lives in San Diego, cope with the death of her husband.

Despite the defense’s request that Mackle be allowed to stay with his sister in San Diego and travel back and forth for court appearances, both Kravchuk and Mackle sided with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gail Malone.

Both stated in their respective detention orders that no combination of bail conditions, including random alcohol testing and surrendering his passport, would assure that Mackle would appear in court.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the interference charge and up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 on the assault charge.

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