A drunken lout who was abusive to cabin crew assaulted two police officers after being kicked off a Jet2 flight headed for Ibiza.
Reece Nelson was ejected from the early morning flight at Newcastle Airport after being verbally abusive to a female flight attendant and causing a disruption before take-off on July 3 this year. The 31-year-old branded a flight attended a “bi***” before assaulting two police officers as they walked him off the flight down the steps. Nelson continued to hurl abuse at officers when back at the police station and had to be restrained.
Nelson, of Allendale Road, Farringdon, Sunderland, appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court wearing a hoody and a pair of shorts on Monday to be sentenced for two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and being drunk in an aircraft. He had pleaded guilty to the charges on the day his trial was due to begin.
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Glenda Beck, prosecuting, said police were on duty at Newcastle International Airport at around 7.30am when they received a call regarding a drunk male whose travel had been refused on a Jet2 flight to Ibiza as it was about to take off. She said: “They were told there was a drunk male onboard and that attendants were concerned about him and would not serve him any more alcohol.” Cabin crew believed Nelson, who had brought his own duty-free booze onto the flight, would cause more trouble while the flight was in the air and police boarded the plane as it was still grounded.
Ms Beck said: “Police went on to the aircraft and saw the defendant who was identified as being drunk, and officers explained about the concerns of the cabin crew. The defendant complained saying: ‘Are you winding me up? It’s her taking the p***, it’s her attitude’." Police even tried to reason with Nelson, explaining that he could potentially get a later flight if he behaved, and was told to get his hand luggage off the plane. But Nelson continued to shout "f*** off" and called the flight attendant a “fat bi***”.
As Nelson was ushered off the flight, which contained 189 passengers, he began shouting at another passenger, saying, "Shut up, I’ll cause a fuss if I want to" and continued dishing out foul-mouthed insults before he “became violent” on the plane steps towards the police. He then started to “swing punches” with his head down at the officers and a struggle ensued before Nelson was finally taken to the ground. It was then that Nelson "opened his mouth and put it around the forearm" of one officer. However, Nelson was struck to the face before he could bite down and the officer was left with scratches and redness to his arm.
Ms Beck said Nelson began screaming "I've had three pints, you're spoiling my holiday" before he was put in a police vehicle and taken to Forth Banks police station in Newcastle. But while at the station, he continued to act violently and he was finally put in leg restraints.
Jason Smith, defending, said: "The defendant has a very different view of what occurred, but the reality of the situation is it did occur and he's accepted responsibility for that. It was deeply unpleasant for the passengers and officers involved, he shouldn't have lost his temper." Mr Smith added that Nelson has a child and had recently obtained a new job working in scaffolding.
The magistrates sentenced Nelson to 14 weeks prison, suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 25 rehabilitation days and pay £400 compensation to the officers. Following the sentencing, he told the court he would "take more responsibility" in future.
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