Sent to jail, drunken jet passenger who dropped his pants
FORMER ALCOHOLIC ‘GAVE IN TO TEMPTATIONS’ AND SWIPED WHISKY FROM DRINKS TROLLEY
A DRUNKEN passenger who stole a bottle of whisky before pulling his trousers down on a flight to Manchester has been jailed.
Mohammad Rafiq, 47, was flying to the city from Muscat in Oman with Oman Air when his alcoholfuelled rampage began.
Manchester Crown Court heard the dad-of-one came to the attention of staff 30 minutes into the journey after he swiped a bottle of whisky from the drinks trolley.
Despite repeated attempts by cabin crew to calm him down, Rafiq became abusive, swearing at staff and other passengers.
He later pulled his trousers down in front of holidaymakers. Rafiq’s defence barrister, Andrew Evans told the court his client was a former alcoholic who had been abstinent for 18 months.
The defendant claimed he did not expect an airline like Oman Air to provide alcohol – and so had not ‘put up his defences.’
Mr Evans said it was only when Rafiq was given the option to drink, that he ‘gave in to his temptations.’
Rafiq, of Whernside Road, Ashtonunder-Lyne, was jailed for six months for being drunk on board an aircraft after a judge branded his behaviour ‘disgraceful.’
Prosecutor Andrew Mackintosh said: “Shortly after the flight took off, the cabin manager was contacted by other members of staff who said the defendant was causing difficulties.
“As the drinks trolley was moving round the plane, the defendant took a whole bottle of whisky and started drinking from it.
”The cabin manager went to see the defendant and he was acting in an aggressive manner.
“He was cursing and swearing at people and sticking up his middle finger. It was clear the defendant was drunk.”
Mr Mackintosh told the court that when the cabin manager asked the defendant to calm down, he tried to grab her arm. He added: “When the food was being served he took it from members of the cabin crew and threw it on the floor.
“It was only as the plane prepared to land in Manchester that Rafiq calmed down, before falling asleep.”
He was arrested as the plane landed.
Rafiq told police he had no recollection of what had happened.
Judge Suzanne Goddard QC said the case was so serious only a custodial sentence was appropriate.
She told Rafiq: “Being drunk on an aircraft is a very serious offence and is regarded seriously by the courts.”