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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Geoffrey Bennett & Laura Sharman

EasyJet passenger 'too drunk to put his seatbelt on' wakes up in police cell

A holidaymaker has escorted off an easyJet flight because he was too drunk to put on his seatbelt.

Stephen Bartle, 36, was on his way to Amsterdam with pals but didn't make it off the runway at Bristol Airport.

The boozy jet setter had far too much to drink and was too inebriated to work his seatbelt after boarding the flight, the court heard.

When cabin crew intervened, he was abusive to them - telling one to commit a sex act on him - and was taken off the plane before it departed.

He was so disorientated he thought he was in Amsterdam when he woke up in a police cell in Bristol, it was reported.

Bartle, from Redruth in Cornwall, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft in March. He also admitted a public order offence.

Bartle apologised as he left court following the incident (NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Judge James Patrick handed him an 18-month community order with 150 hours' unpaid work and £425 costs, reported Bristol Live.

As he left court, Bartle said: "I just want to apologise to everybody that was on the plane.

"I was a little bit drunk, said a couple of things that I shouldn't have done, and want to put this all behind me."

Prosecutor Andy Pickett said Bartle was verbally abusive to two female cabin crew.

He was in such a state he was physically restrained by a friend and another passenger, the court heard.

One female cabin crew member described the abuse as "shocking and upsetting" in an impact statement and said she felt totally humiliated and trapped.

She wrote: "He said nothing to male staff. I believe he is a coward, he needs to be taught how to respect women."

Mr Pickett said the aircraft was not in flight at the time of the incident.

He said that later, at the police station, Bartle didn't know which country he was in.

Bartle, who was unrepresented in court, told the judge: "I'm deeply embarrassed about some of the things I said. I'm not really an aggressive man at all.

"It is the first time I've been in any sort of trouble with the court at all.

"I just work and keep my head down normally, but I was excited about going on holiday with friends and I drank a little bit too much.

"When I woke up in the police cell I thought I may have been in Amsterdam.

"I'm deeply regretful, I just want to keep my head down and carry on with my life."

Judge Patrick said it was "a tragedy" to see a man of good character.

He added: "You behaved in simply a shocking way, turning up for a flight extremely drunk, so drunk you were incapable of demonstrating you were safe to fly."

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