Woman's striptease protest at airport security delays

A woman left fellow passengers shocked as she gave vent to her frustration over security search delays at Stansted Airport in Essex with an impromptu striptease protest.

Now though she has been hit with fines and legal costs of £150 and spent 12 hours in a cell. And her arm was broken when she was arrested.

Irish-born Eimear Ni Ghiallgairrh, 29, of Huntingdon, began stripping off in the security-check area of the airport in protest against delays to her flight to Ireland.

By the time she had removed her skirt and was standing in her black tights two police officers stepped in to preserve her modesty.

The striptease protest was described at Chelmsford Magistrates Court where Ghiallgairrh pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour and criminal damage.

The damage came after her arrest when she decided to rip up some police codes of practice during her time in a cell.

Prosecutor, Karen Phillips, told the court that the incident happened on 21 January when Ghiallgairrh was “running late for a flight to Ireland” and was then held up in security.

Ghiallgairrh’s own lawyer, Sarah Steggles, told the court : “She found the whole experience quite distressing after she was late for her flight. Her behaviour was exuberance, calling attention to herself in a security search."

As he sentenced Ms Ghiallgairrh, whose arm was in a plaster, as a result of the injury she received during her arrest, District Judge John Woollard told her: "I have to take into account the stress you were in which led to your behaviour and the fact you were surrounded by thousands of other people also stressed."

He fined her £80 with £20 victim surcharge and £50 costs. She was given 28 days to pay or face seven days in jail.