Judge condemns 'air rage' soldiers

The Flybe flight was heading for Newcastle

A judge condemned the actions of two soldiers as "despicable" after they admitted their part in a drunken disturbance on a passenger aircraft.

Judge Beatrice Bolton spoke out against the "rising tide" of loutish behaviour on aircraft as two Coldstream Guards admitted to their part in the rowdy incident which left dozens of passengers terrified.

The pair were among five Guards who caused havoc on a plane on their way back from providing emergency firefighting cover in Belfast during the 2002 firefighters' strike.

The pilot on the packed Flybe jet was forced to radio for assistance 20 minutes into the journey and police were waiting when it landed at Newcastle International Airport.

Neil Ambler and Michael Brierly, both 26, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to being drunk on board an aircraft.

Glen Vickers, 35, John Adams, 23, and Paul Wright, 24, admitted the charge earlier this year.

This sort of conduct cannot be tolerated. It is the mindless minority frightening and upsetting the majority Northumbria Police spokesman

Judge Bolton said: "This type of case is of considerable concern for the public."

Describing the behaviour of the men as "quite despicable" she said she was leaving all options open for when the group are sentenced.

A further charge of interfering with the performance of a cabin crew member against Michael Brierly, of Strawberry Gardens, Wallsend, North Tyneside, was dropped.

Brierly has changed his name from Michael Wallace since his last court appearance.

A charge of drunkenness on board an aircraft against another Coldstream Guard, David Forster, 24, of East View Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, was dropped.

Vickers, of Keasdon Close, Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, Adams, of Alnwick Square, Sunderland, Wright of Orpington Avenue, Newcastle, Ambler, of Emmerdale Close, Penshaw, County Durham, were bailed and are to be sentenced along with Brierly on 31 October.

Abusive language

The five were among 16 Coldstream Guards flying to Newcastle on home leave in November 2002 November on a 49-seater de Havilland Dash Eight plane packed full of passengers.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said that from the beginning of the flight the five had been using insulting and abusive language among themselves and towards the plane's crew.

He added: "Other passengers must have been very frightened. Passengers genuinely feared what the conduct would lead to.

"This sort of conduct cannot be tolerated. It is the mindless minority frightening and upsetting the majority."

A spokesman for the airline said: "Flybe believes that their staff are entitled to work, and their passengers to travel, in a safe environment.

"Such an environment does not include drunk, disruptive or abusive passengers. The company will back any action taken in support of this protocol."

A Ministry of Defence spokesman declined to comment.