A man who threatened to rape and murder an air stewardess on a Virgin Atlantic flight has had his sentence tripled.
Salman Iftikhar, 38, a wealthy recruitment manager from Buckinghamshire, was flying first class from London to Lahore, Pakistan when the incident occurred on February 7 2023.
Reports say Iftikhar was intoxicated and tried to take ice with his hands when he was asked to return to his seat by a member of cabin crew.
Iftikhar responded by levelling threats at air stewardess Angie Walsh, saying she would be dragged out of her hotel room in Pakistan, gang raped and set on fire.
The abusive exchange was caught on video, in which Iftikhar can be heard claiming Walsh was a racist.
Iftikhar continued his tirade for the duration of the eight hour flight, also abusing other members of crew and threatening that the hotel they were staying in would be blown up.
He was travelling with his wife and three children at the time.
The incident was so serious that cabin crew even discussed diverting the plane to Turkey.
In an impact statement, Angie said she is still “haunted and traumatised” by the threats, resulting in her having to take 14 months off work.
Iftikhar initially received a sentence of 15 months at Isleworth Crown Court for one count of threats to kill and one of racially aggravated intentional harassment, on August 1.
But on November 11, his sentence was increased to four years and three months, after being referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
Solicitor General Rt Hon Ellie Reeves MP said: “Salman Iftikhar made horrific threats of rape and violence against an air steward who was simply doing her job.
“His tirade of hate and abuse caused distress and anguish for the whole flight, and all of our thoughts today should be with the cabin crew and passengers who suffered from Iftikhar’s vile behaviour.”
