Drunk passenger hurled homophobic abuse at cabin crew
AHOLIDAYMAKER too drunk to find his seat was frogmarched off a plane after hurling homophobic and threatening abuse at cabin crew.
Businessman Thomas Howorth, 28, berated Easyjet staff as he boarded a flight at Manchester Airport.
As fellow passengers were being guided onto the aircraft, Howorth asked a crew member: “Oi q **** boy, where’s my f ****** seat?”
When the cabin manager intervened, Howorth pushed her out of the way and said: “I’ll f ****** headbutt you.”
Police were called to escort Howorth from the aircraft before it took off.
At Manchester Magistrates’ Court, Howorth, from Rochdale, who runs a labouring business admitted using threatening behaviour and common assault following last April’s incident.
He was sentenced to 16 weeks jail - suspended for 18 months - and ordered to complete 120 hours unpaid work. Howarth was also ordered to pay £200 court costs.
The flight destination was not revealed in court.
Prosecuting, Hayley Bennet, said: “The trouble started when the defendant said ‘oi q **** boy, where’s my f ****** seat’ this immediately put the staff on edge.
“His abuse continued and he kept threatening to hurt them by saying things like ‘I’ll f ******* head butt you’.
“He was being very aggressive and threatening and staff were very concerned.
“He was completely intoxicated and unable to be calmed down. At one stage he pushed a member of staff out of his way.
“The police were called and he was arrested and cautioned. This was before the flight had taken off so luckily nothing escalated too far, but it still caused distress to the members of staff involved.”
Howorth’s lawyer Richard Birtwistle, said in mitigation: “Whilst this offence would be relevant of a custodial sentence, I don’t think this will help him in any way.
“Depriving him of his liberty is not going to help him get back on the right track.
“He has showed genuine remorse which was not a tired rehearsal of false sorrow.
“He recognises he will have to make right the wrong he has done. He knows to think twice before acting like this again.”
Passing sentence JP David Marsh said: “We do treat this case as a very, very serious matter.
“You were on board a flight, with other people present, you were lucky that this flight hadn’t taken off.
“Lives could have been in serious danger. After careful consideration we have decided that sending you to prison will not benefit you.
“Locking you up will not help you get the help you so desperately need. You need the help to get yourself through this.”