A drunk veterinary nurse who was dubbed 'every passenger's worst nightmare' when she downed so much vodka on a flight she could barely speak has been allowed to carry on working. Katherine Heyes 29, who 'did not consider herself to be drunk at any point,' drank a bottle of vodka with two friends on a flight to Turkey from Manchester for an all-girls holiday in May 2019, a disciplinary committee heard.
Ms Heyes was described by a fellow passenger as 'bordering on manic' as she 'was 'screaming and swearing at everyone' and had to be restrained by her friends. Ms Heyes had also been travelling with a three-year-old child who she shouted and swore at 'aggressively,' causing the child to become upset and cry, the hearing was told.
The aircraft's captain even had to consider diverting the flight because of the risk Ms Heyes caused to safety. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons disciplinary committee heard that as a result the veterinary nurse was sentenced to a Community Order in July 2020 consisting of 80 hours unpaid work, and had to pay a victim surcharge of £85 and costs of £250.
