Drunken lout jailed for violent tirade on flight
THIS is the drunken lout who launched an abusive and threatening tirade onboard a Ryanair flight and has now been jailed.
Daniel Hendry headbutted a crew member, ‘stroked’ another and caused all 99 passengers to be moved from their seats.
The 25-year-old caused chaos an hour into the FR4331 flight from Tenerife to Manchester in January this year when he was spotted not wearing a face mask and downing his own vodka.
After confirming he had drunk three quarters of the litre bottle, he became abusive with the cabin steward, stating: “F*** off, I’m going to punch you, going to smash your head in,” Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
He then went to headbutt the man, who moved initially out of the way, but managed to make contact with the right side of his face. Hendry, of East Kilbride, Glasgow, then began following two female cabin members around the aircraft, stroking them on the arm, trying to hug them and invading their personal space.
Staff were forced to inform the captain who attempted to divert the plane, but was unable to do so due to airports being closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Passengers had to be moved from their seats to allow for Hendry to be isolated, the court was told.
The captain resorted to accelerating the flight, landing 25 minutes ahead of schedule.
Pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to offences of being drunk on an aircraft, criminal damage and assault, Hendry was jailed for 14 months.
Prosecuting, Neil Ronan told the court that on January 29 the Ryanair flight left Tenerife at 6.30pm local time - but just one hour into the journey cabin crew became aware of a disruptive passenger. After being challenged about the bottle of vodka next to his seat, Hendry got aggressive with one of the stewards.
“The defendant started headbutting towards him, he didn’t manage to make contact with the crew member initially as he moved his head, but he did come into contact with the right side of his face,” Mr Ronan said.
As the captain tried to make efforts to redirect the plane, Hendry continued to cause issues, so the staff physically moved the 99 other passengers, including families and the elderly, whilst they tried to isolate him.
After being arrested, Henry spat inside the police van.
Hendry was said to have three previous convictions for four offences of using threatening or abusive language.
Mitigating, Ian Metcalfe said: “The defendant’s instructions are categorically he cannot remember any significant period on his behalf.”
Sentencing him, Recorder Ian Harris said: “Your abhorrent, loutish behaviour led to every passenger on that flight being disturbed as they were moved to be able to allow you to be relocated. Why should 99 people, who include pensioners and families with children, have to endure your threats and abuse?”