A chef who necked 10 pints of lager before a Ryanair flight to a Tenerife stag do has been fined £500 for his behaviour on the plane.
Stuart Leith appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to being drunk on board an aircraft.
The court heard how the 28-year-old, from Frodsham in Cheshire, had boarded the late-afternoon flight from Manchester Airport on March 7, ready to enjoy a stag do in Tenerife.
But, before the flight even left the ground, Leith made a meal of the situation, refusing to sit down and buckle up during a routine safety announcement to passengers.
When cabin crew realised he was intoxicated, the flight was turned around and Leith was promptly arrested.
Leith, who works more than 40 hours per week, admitted to having guzzled more than a GALLON of lager before boarding the flight and expressed regret for his actions.
Despite his behaviour, police escorted him back to the airport so that he could board another Ryanair flight to Tenerife to join his fellow revellers.
Prosecuting, Rachael Yarwood said: “This offence dates back to March 7 on board a Ryanair flight to Tenerife. As the flight embarked at 5pm, the crew were trying to give a safety announcement.
This is why armed police are in Spinningfields today
Asda reveals Pizza Express £7 deal perfect for the weekend
“The defendant refused to listen and sit down. Because of his intoxicated state, the flight turned around on the ground and the defendant was arrested.
“In interview, he said he didn’t remember much of what happened. He said he had about 10 pints of lager before getting on the plane - he said that he drank before he got to the airport and had about five drinks at the airport bar.
“He said that he regrets the disruption that he caused to the passengers because the flight had to turn around. It was around 20 minutes later he was arrested after the plane docked up.
“He has two previous convictions for three offences, but none are relevant to this one.”
His defence lawyer, Jane Shaw, said: “He has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and he has made full and frank admissions.
Naked Beach viewers complain about Channel 4's pre-watershed nudity - what did they expect?
The Crown has not said that any threats were made; the crew were going through the safety announcements and he was refusing to put his seatbelt on.
“He has made a stupid mistake. He was going on his friend’s stag do, and he was drinking before he got to the airport and when he got there. He is mortified with what has happened, and he is embarrassed and remorseful.
Thomas Cook threatened to take passenger off flight because bralet outfit 'caused offence'
Coronation Street's Alan Halsall shows off '90s pop star' look after hair transplant
“He works as a chef and he is a roaming chef between three restaurants. He tells me that he works 40-60 hours a week and that is very tiring for him.
“He explained to me that it’s a one-off and when he was released, the police officer took him back to the airport the next day to fly back on the holiday.
"So, it’s not serious enough that Ryanair, who have discretion to refuse anybody back on a flight, let him back on.”
He was fined £500 and made to pay £135 in court costs.
