US pilot arrested on suspicion of ‘being drunk’ freed on bail
A pilot arrested on suspicion of being drunk ahead of flying a passenger jet from Scotland to the United States has been released on bail.
Glendon Gulliver has been left free to embark on transatlantic travels – as he waits to learn his fate over the claims.
Prosecutors claim Gulliver, 61, was over the drink-fly limit on Saturday morning.
Mr Gulliver and a colleague, 45, were scheduled to fly from Glasgow Airport to New York on August 3.
Flight UA162, which was due to depart at 9am for Newark, was cancelled – after the pair were detained on suspicion of being over the drink-fly limit.
But yesterday the younger of the two men was released wi t h o u t c h a rg e by p o l i c e – while Mr Gulliver appeared in the dock after spending three n i g h t s i n t h e c e l l s a t Hel e n Street police station, in Glasgow’s Govan area.
A s p o ke s p e r s o n f r o m t h e Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland’s prosecuting authority, confirmed a report had only been received in relation to one of the men.
Mr Gulliver made no plea to the single charge against him d u r i n g h i s b e h i n d - c l o s e d - doors hearing, where he was represented by defence Solicitor Advocate Iain Cahill.
He appeared before Sheriff Colin Pettigrew, who presided over the custody court and c o n t i n u e d t h e c a s e a g a i n s t Mr Gulliver for prosecutors to investigate further.
S h e r i f f P e t t i g r e w t h e n r e l e a s e d h i m o n b a i l w i t h standard conditions.
His bail address was given as his solicitors’ offices in Wellington Street, Glasgow.
He is charged with breaking Section 93(1) of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 which states: “A person commi t s a n o f f e n c e i f. . . h e p e r - forms an aviation function at a time when the proportion of alcohol in his breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit, or he carries out an activity which is ancillary to an aviation function at a time when the propor tion of alcohol in h i s b r e a t h , b l o o d o r u r i n e exceeds the prescribed limit.”
The drink-fly limit is nine microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, less than half the 22mcg driving limit.
I f c o nv i c t e d , M r G u l l i ve r could be jailed for up to t wo years, fined, or he could b e sentenced to a combination of both.
A sp okesperson for Police S cotland added: “Following further enquiries, a 45-yearo l d man h a s b e e n r e l e a s ed without charge.”
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