Shaun Hewitt was on a business class flight, which he bought with money he inherited from his recently deceased grandmother, to Thailand to take on a job when he was restrained by the police
A drunk passenger caused a flight to be seriously delayed. The plane was forced to taxi back to the terminal seconds before take off so staff could deal with Shaun Hewitt. The off-shore worker was sitting in business class on an Emirates flight from Newcastle to Thailand to take on a job but “sampled a little bit too much alcohol” before boarding.
Hewitt, 33, turned aggressive when he was asked to move for being too loud. A court heard that Hewitt’s “angry behaviour”, shouting and swearing made cabin crew feel “uncomfortable” and the plane returned to the terminal just seconds before it was due to take-off.
When police boarded the flight, Hewitt’s behaviour escalated further, with him telling the officers “F*** off, I have done nothing, you f*****g divvy, move out the way you f*****g a******e”, reported Teeside Live.
Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard that Hewitt claimed to only have had “two pints” before his limbs were restrained and he was arrested. The lout, of Prince Edward Road, in South Shields, appeared in the dock this week to plead guilty to being drunk on an aircraft.
Prosecutor, Lesley Burgess, said Hewitt boarded the flight on December 12 last year and was sat in business class when he was asked to move because a fellow passenger had complained of him being too loud. Ms Burgess continued: “He refused. He was swearing and saying he was not moving.
“He was very angry and the crew were uncomfortable with him flying. The aircraft had moved right up to where it would take off from but then came back to the terminal.”
The court heard that Hewitt then shouted the abuse when police boarded the flight and arrested him. Jason Smith, defending, said Hewitt had been travelling to do some off-shore work in Thailand.
Mr Smith added: “Two weeks before this, his grandma died and he received some inheritance. He was upset about that still. He used some of the money to purchase an upgrade on the flight out to Thailand. He accepts he probably sampled a little bit too much alcohol before he got on board.”
District Judge Kate Meek said that the magistrates’ court only had powers to fine someone for an offence of being drunk in an aircraft and, if it warranted more, such as a community order, it had to be committed to the crown court.
Deciding to send him to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence, the judge said: “You caused a delay to the flight and a significant delay. You behaved in the way you did with other passengers there, while they’re in a position where they cannot get off the plane.”
Hewitt was released on conditional bail to next appear at the crown court on April 7.
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