Robert Smith, 45, began drawing attention to himself when he was seen knocking over a bar stool at Leeds Bradford airport as he made his way to the gate following a final call for Jet2.com passengers booked on a 4.20pm Tenerife flight last May.
Smith, of Lawns Green, New Farnley, denied being drunk and was initially allowed through to the gate, but was stopped again after bumping into glass panelling on his way at which point his intoxication became evident, according to West Yorkshire Police.
Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how after being told he would not be allowed to board, Smith became abusive towards a female member of staff, who radioed for assistance.
Smith pleaded to be allowed on the flight but was refused again. As he began walking away, he was told that he needed to be escorted back to border control and then to a customer service desk.
The force said Smith proceeded to make threats before attacking staff, whereby bar staff and members of the public helped restrain him until airport security and police arrived, at which point he was arrested.
While he was handcuffed, Smith headbutted a plainclothes detective in the face, said West Yorkshire Police. He was place in leg restraints and had to be transferred to a police van in a wheelchair before being taken into custody.
Smith later admitted two charges of common assault in relation to his attacks on the Jet2 staff and also an emergency worker on 18 May 2022.
Following a hearing at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, Smith was handed an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for a year. He was also made the subject of a 90-day alcohol abstinence and monitoring order, told to complete 250 hours’ community service and ordered to pay each of his three victims £120 in compensation.
Sergeant Anne Haydock of the Leeds Bradford airport neighbourhood policing team said: "Airline staff, and the police officers who support them, should be able to carry out their duties without having to face the kind of completely unnecessary threats and violence they encountered during this incident."
‘Zero tolerance’
Jet2.com managing director Phil Ward added: "We welcome this sentencing, which sends out a strong warning that such behaviour will not be tolerated by the courts.
"Disruptive passenger behaviour can lead to very serious consequences, such as banning orders and financial penalties, and as this case proves, severe court action.
"In the interests of the comfort and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues onboard, we will continue with our zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behaviour."
