Crown seeks $17,000 for forcing plane to turn around

MONTREAL — A Montreal-area man whose aggressive behaviour forced a Cuba-bound aircraft to return to Canada under an American military escort last summer will be sentenced April 18.

Charalabos Nassios, 40, had pleaded guilty to charges of assault, mischief and uttering threats during a July 2017 disturbance aboard a Sunwing flight that forced the plane to return to Montreal.

The return flight was accompanied by two F-15 U.S. air force jets.

Crown prosecutor Cynthia Gyenizse asked on Tuesday for a suspended sentence, but also sought more than $17,450 in damages which represented fuel, landing fees, overtime salaries for Sunwing employees and hotel costs for 170 passengers.

She told the court that Nassios had already served 112 days in preventive detention last year.

Gyenizse is seeking three years’ probation and wants Nassios to hand over all travel documents and not be allowed to leave Quebec during that period.

Defence lawyer Tom Pentefountas objected to the Sunwing compensation, calling it an excessive measure.

He said Nassios was in a state of financial ruin and wasn’t able to find work.

Gyenizse also filed a pre-sentence report in which the accused said he consumed and sold drugs as a young adult and had all kinds of marriage problems.

Quebec court judge Pierre Dupras began his deliberations after hearing both parties.