Drunk woman’s homophobic abuse on flight
Captain of jet to Canary Islands forced to land in Ireland because of ‘highly intoxicated’ passenger
A WOMAN has been fined after a plane heading to Manchester Airport from the Canary Islands was forced to land in Ireland after she became drunk and disruptive on board.
Gemma Campbell, 33, was arrested as the Jet2 flight from Fuerteventura landed at Cork Airport on Sunday, December 27.
A court in Ireland heard that after drinking vodka Campbell became ‘extremely abusive’ towards cabin crew and used homophobic slurs towards one of the attendants, forcing the plane to be diverted.
The Irish Mirror reported that Ms Campbell was charged with being so intoxicated that she gave rise to fears that she might endanger herself or other persons on board the flight, in contrary to the Air Navigation
and Transport Act 1973.
She was also charged with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour with intent to cause, or being reckless to cause, a breach of the peace.
Appearing at Cork District Court earlier this week, Ms Campbell’s defence barrister, Emmet Boyle BL, said his client was deeply embarrassed by the ‘out of character’ behaviour.
Ms Campbell, whose address was given as Elston Road, Manchester, pleaded guilty to both charges and was handed a EUR1,500 (£1,347) fine - EUR500 for the first offence and EUR1,000 for the second offence.
Garda Gearoid Whelton arrested Ms Campbell after the plane landed at Cork Airport. She was then taken to Togher Garda station.
Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Mr Whelton told Judge Colm Roberts that Ms Campbell made no reply to either charge when he put them to her after caution when he arrested her, outside Togher Garda Station, shortly before 8pm on Sunday.
Mr Whelton told Cork District Court that Ms Campbell was ‘highly intoxicated’ on board the flight and called a male member of cabin crew a ‘f****t’.
She was seated in a separate area in a bid to defuse the situation and asked to correct her behaviour but continued to be abusive. The plane’s captain then decided there was no choice but to divert to Cork Airport.
The 100-passenger flight later continued to Manchester without her.
Ms Campbell’s defence barrister said his client had been drinking alcohol at her Fuerteventura hotel before arriving at the airport and having ‘several more’ drinks.
Cabin crew found an empty vodka bottle by her seat on board the flight.
Cork District Court heard that Ms Campbell, who had no previous convictions in the UK or Ireland, had also been involved in an argument with her partner.
Judge Roberts said her behaviour was completely unacceptable with the homophobic slurs being particularly objectionable.
Factoring in her apology for the ‘egregious behaviour’, while also acknowledging that it appeared to be out of character, Judge Roberts opted to fine her for the two offences.