Bomb 'mentioned on board plane'

Dr Jandoo has denied five charges

A airline passenger has told a court how a man referred to a bomb on board a plane as he was preparing to board a flight to Stornoway.

Roger Mackay was giving evidence at the trial of part-time sheriff Raj Jandoo.

The 47-year-old senior advocate, from Edinburgh, denies five charges relating to a flight in March last year.

It is alleged that he referred to a bomb, refused to switch off his mobile phone and laptop, pressed buttons on his watch and refused to take his seat.

Dr Jandoo had been on his way to sit at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court in North Uist as a sheriff.

Mr Mackay, 26, a trainee air traffic controller, gave evidence at Stornoway Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

He said Dr Jandoo was having a loud conversation on his mobile phone while the plane was stationary after stopping at Inverness Airport to take on more passengers.

Other passengers had also begun to notice this, he said.

He claimed that the advocate then said that everyone was looking at him as if he had a bomb on board.

My first concern was does he have a bomb? Roger Mackay Passenger

Mr Mackay said that he felt this comment was "absolutely inappropriate" given the events of 9/11.

"Although the statement was not a direct threat, I thought the reaction it could provoke was not a healthy one," he said.

The court heard airline staff removed Dr Jandoo's laptop and put it in a locker.

Mr Mackay said Dr Jandoo began looking in an overhead locker as the plane started its descent into Stornoway.

"I was very concerned at that, considering what had gone on before," said the witness.

"I was concerned for the safety of the aircraft at that point.

"My thoughts were that if he did have an intention to harm the aircraft or its occupants then that would be the most dangerous place to do it - in close proximity to the ground."

Stornoway Airport was the flight's destination

Mr Mackay said he had considered whether he and the other passengers would need to restrain Dr Jandoo.

"My first concern was does he have a bomb?" he said.

Earlier, passenger Joanna Hall said Dr Jandoo had seemed to be pretending to type on his laptop computer during the flight from Edinburgh to Inverness.

She said that he kept using the computer after being asked to stop by a flight attendant.

Mrs Hall said she was concerned and did not want the plane to crash.

She insisted under cross-examination from defence QC Donald Findlay that the computer was switched on, although technical reports suggest it had not been used during the flight.