A man was dragged off a Jet2 flight to Turkey to the sound of applause after he was so abusive that the plane was forced to return to the terminal at Manchester Airport
A businessman was hauled off a plane to the applause of his fellow passengers after embarking on a drunken tirade. The Jet2 flight to Turkey had just started taxiing to the runway at Manchester Airport when police were summoned due to Lewis Howarth’s appalling behaviour, forcing the plane to return to Terminal 1.
Howarth had been abusive to staff, persistently stood up during the safety briefing and insulted one stewardess when asked to fasten his seatbelt, a court heard. Officers boarded the plane and spoke to the cabin crew, who reported that Howarth was ‘highly intoxicated’ and swearing at other passengers.
As they approached him, he initially seemed compliant. However, his demeanour quickly changed as they escorted him towards the exit, Manchester Crown Court was informed yesterday (January 23).
“He began to resist and attempted to fight or assault those escorting him,” prosecutor Saul Brody stated. “He was taken to the floor and handcuffed, and was described as thrashing his head towards the passengers and officers. He was restrained on the aisle floor, and once outside he continued shouting abuse at the officers.”
In bodycam footage shown in court, hundreds of passengers could be seen clapping and cheering, with some recording on their mobile phones as Howarth was removed, reports the Manchester Evening News.
His swearing at the officers could be heard. At one point, an officer tells him: “You were bang out of order, there were so many kids on there.”
“My kids are there… you are f****** wrong,” Howarth slurred. “Nah f*** off you little rats. Do you [really think] I’m not going to go on holiday?” he continued.
“No you’re not,” the officer replied. When he was told he was being arrested for being drunk on a plane he began laughing and said: “No I’m not, you little rat, you f****** d***heads, rat b******s! “.
Staff from Jet2 then brought a wheelchair over to be used to escort Howarth. As he was being lifted into it he tried to bite one officer and kicked out at another.
He was arrested, and was later shown the footage. He admitted he had drunk half a bottle of whisky before the flight, Mr Brody said.
Howarth was said to have previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly, affray, racially aggravated harassment, assaulting a police officer and failing to comply with court orders. His barrister, William Staunton, said Howarth was travelling with his family and his friend’s family, when his pal ‘peer pressured’ him into having a drink because he was nervous of flying.
He had been ‘chastised’ by his fiancé when she became aware of his state of intoxication, and that became the trigger to his behaviour, he said.
“He had the hangover of all hangovers,” Mr Staunton said. “He is profoundly ashamed and deeply remorseful. He wants to say sorry and this won’t happen again.”
The court was informed that Howarth, a Bolton resident who co-owned a construction firm and had a successful career as an installer, had also contributed to the community through various works and had even made appearances on TV for DIY emergencies. “He is an asset to the community,” Mr Staunton added.
However, Recorder Geoffrey Wells sentenced Howarth, of Mobberley Road, to 14 weeks in prison, stating: “This behaviour was shocking. There is no excuse for being drunk when you go on an airplane.”
“Your children saw you behaving like that. What kind of example is that? Wholly disgraceful.”
“‘Peer pressure? ‘ What nonsense! ” He further commented that it was a ‘complete lack of control’, a ‘complete lack of thought’ and a ‘complete abdication of your responsibility as a father and a member of the public’. Howarth will serve half of his sentence in jail before being released on licence.
He admitted to boarding an aircraft while intoxicated, assaulting an emergency worker, and common assault of an emergency worker.
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