A drunk British Airways passenger who shouted 'I want to fight you' at cabin crew has been fined by magistrates. Yogeshwar Sharma, 51, consumed a bottle of vodka and took two doses of prescription medication before boarding a flight to Delhi, India.
Incident on board
After being told he was too drunk to fly, Sharma shouted 'f*** off' at staff. He later tried to spit at police officers and punched a paramedic at Heathrow Airport. Sharma refused to leave the plane when police arrived, and he took out a lighter and started vaping after being told smoking was not allowed.
Court proceedings
Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard that Sharma was escorted off the plane when he tried to spit at officers and lunged towards paramedic Mick Hinde. Mr Hinde stated that he dodged the worst of the blow, so was not injured, but Sharma's fist hit his chin.
Sharma does not remember getting on the plane and was 'appalled' by his actions, the court heard. Antonia Gray, defending, said: 'The reality of the situation is he has absolutely no recollection of the incident. He was quite literally horrified, so appalled and humiliated by his own behaviour.'
Background
The court heard Sharma is a recovering alcoholic. Ms Gray said: 'He had been going through a particular time of great stress with his mother’s illness and the death of a family member.' Sharma admitted entering an aircraft while drunk, using threatening behaviour, common assault of a paramedic, and smoking on a plane, in the incident on November 25 last year.
The defendant, who wore a grey suit, dark shirt, and tie in court, had been travelling to his uncle’s funeral in Delhi, the court heard.
Sentence
Ian Comfort, who chaired the bench of magistrates, said on Monday (April 27): 'No doubt it [Sharma’s behaviour] caused considerable delay to passengers and considerable disturbance to cabin crew and others.' Sharma was handed a £2,718 fine and was told to pay £50 compensation to Mr Hinde, along with £85 costs. The defendant, of Elgin Road, Ilford, thanked the magistrates as he left court.
