Man jailed for kicking cabin crew

A drunken airline passenger who punched and kicked cabin crew after they refused to serve him more alcohol, has been jailed for eight months.

Christopher Rose, from St Helens, Merseyside, also bit a fellow passenger as people struggled to restrain him.

The 46-year-old had to be handcuffed to a seat on the flight from Manchester to the Dominican Republic last year.

Rose pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to affray and two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm.

During the flight Rose became drunk and started to become aggressive towards the passenger sitting next to him.

Cabin crew told Rose he could not have any more to drink and his neighbouring passenger was moved to the back.

Spitting and biting

Shortly after, Rose got up and went to the back of the aircraft where he started to abuse the passenger again.

He then turned on the crew, shouting and swearing at them and trying to get to the victim.

When staff blocked his path Rose hit one crew member in the face.

An air stewardess who was caught up in the fracas was then shoved to the floor and an aircraft restraint kit, including handcuffs, was brought to the back of the plane to get him under control.

But his violence continued and he kicked an air steward and spat at and bit a passenger.

"Rose's behaviour was an absolute disgrace and left a trail of destruction in his wake"
Pc Nicola Barrett

When the aircraft landed at Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, the authorities boarded the aircraft and led Rose and his travelling companion off the plane and he was allowed to go on holiday.

But the airline, Thomas Cook, refused to fly him back to the UK and he had to pay for another flight home.

On his return he was arrested by officers from Greater Manchester Police, after the force was informed of the incident.

Pc Nicola Barrett said: "Rose's behaviour was an absolute disgrace and left a trail of destruction in his wake.

"He did all of this in front of passengers embarking on what should have been a pleasant flight at the start of their holiday.

"Had the incident continued the pilot may have been forced to divert the flight.

She added: "This sort of behaviour can frighten and upset fellow travellers if it occurs in terminal buildings, and be downright dangerous if it happens in flight."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
HM Court Service
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites