Drunken passenger jailed after causing mayhem on flight
❝ This was a petrifying incident for those who were involved. Those who offend in this way must expect to receive a custodial sentence.
Judge James Patrick
ADRUNKEN easyJet passenger who caused mayhem on a flight from Cyprus to Bristol has been jailed.
Alexandros Christou assaulted his girlfriend, a passenger and flight crew member after getting drunk on whisky bought at the airport.
Bristol Crown Court heard witnesses described him as being “11-out-of-10 angry” as he hurled vile abuse and tried to open a door on the aircraft.
The captain of the jet was so concerned that he sped up the journey and alerted Bristol air traffic control, enabling police to be scrambled.
Christou, 21, of Rhydynos Street in Pontypool, pleaded guilty to battery, two common assaults, a public order offence, criminal damage, being drunk on an aircraft and reckless behaviour likely to endanger an aircraft.
Judge James Patrick sent him to prison for 11 months.
He told Christou: “This was a petrifying incident for those who were involved.
“Those who offend in this way must expect to receive a custodial sentence.”
Catherine Flint, prosecuting, said Christou and his girlfriend Sinead were returning from Cyprus to Bristol and Christou bought a bottle of whisky at the airport.
After boarding the aircraft the couple argued and Christou hit Sinead in her face and she asked to be moved.
Miss Flint said: “Mr Christou was moved to the back of the plane and it was explained to him why.
“He became very abusive and was abusive to his girlfriend in English and Greek.
“He was absolutely enraged and was described as being 11-outof-10 angry.”
The court heard Christou ignored the sign instructing passengers to wear their seatbelts, threatened to bite a woman’s finger off and swung a bag at a cabin crew member – which missed.
Christouthen tried to open the back door of the aircraft, uttered abuse including a homophobic slur in Greek, spat at but missed another passenger, and threw soap and tissue at his court heard.
Miss Flint said: “The captain was kept informed.
“He sped up the flight and communicated with air traffic control.
“The flight landed at Bristol and was met by police.”
The court heard Christou was arrested and tried to chew his way through handcuffs, injuring his mouth.
He then spat blood in the police vehicle, which had to be deep cleaned at a cost of £107.
Edmund Wylde, defending, stressed that his client entered an early guilty plea to a single episode of drunken activity on the aircraft.
He told the court Christou, a capable chef, was returning to the UK after visiting his estranged father. girlfriend, the