A labourer who shouted racial abuse on a plane before biting a police officer who tried to arrest him has narrowly avoided jail.
Kieran Croxley was detained after becoming disruptive on an easyJet flight from Faro, Portugal, to Gatwick on 18 May.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Having been asked to sit down and put his seatbelt on as the aircraft prepared to land, the defendant became aggressive towards cabin crew.
“He also used a number of expletives, of which some were racially aggravated.
“Police attended the aircraft. The officers asked him to follow them, at which point he again became abusive and started swearing."
The spokesman added: “As they attempted to arrest him, Croxley bit one officer’s hand and dug his nails into the arm of another, causing the skin to break.
“And while being transported into custody, he attempted to bite a third officer.”
The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour, threatening behaviour towards aircraft crew and three counts of assault on an emergency worker at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He was sentenced to 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay a £900 fine, £450 costs and a total of £325 in compensation to the officers he assaulted.
Inspector James Biggs, of the Gatwick Prevention Team, said: “This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable.
“No member of aircraft crew, nor their passengers, should have to experience such abuse.
“Nor should any emergency worker expect to be assaulted for simply carrying out their duties.
“This case should serve as a reminder to passengers of their responsibilities before they board an aircraft.
“Incidents of drunken and disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated, and anyone who compromises this will be dealt with robustly.”
Additional reporting by Press Association
