A drunken former air stewardess flying to London for her honeymoon screamed at British Airways cabin crew: "I'm going to shoot you in the face," after barricading herself inside a business class toilet.
American Brie Ann Johnson, 35, was joining her musician husband and had been drinking wine in the exclusive Club World upper deck on the 747 plane on top of her anti-anxiety Xanax medication.
She pleaded guilty at Isleworth Crown Court to being drunk on an aircraft and assaulting Craig Stoner and David Shaw on August 3 and received a suspended prison sentence.
Prosecutor Miss Pamela Reiss told the court trouble started ninety minutes into the New York to Heathrow flight and Mr. Stoner, a member of the cabin crew, was called to the upper deck.
"Miss Johnson was inside a toilet and there was groaning and banging noises coming from inside and when the staff knocked on the door she would not unlock it.
"Mr. Stoner decided to take the door off its hinges, but Miss Johnson put her back against it to stop him."
Eventually the door was removed and Miss Johnson, whose eyes were glazed, shouted: "F*** off. Get off me," and other passenger were noticeably upset.
"She would not walk and was carried back to the galley and wet herself. The crew detected the smell of alcohol on her breath and urine on her clothes.
"She threatened that she was going to shoot them in the face and put her hand into her jeans pocket and pulled out her passport," explained Miss Reiss.
"She then kicked down on Mr. Stoner's right shin then used her fist and made contact with his right eyebrow and he felt blood trickling down his face. He was cut.
"She also kicked Mr. Shaw, he was kicked on the shin and she did attempt to bite him and told him: 'I'm going to shoot you in the face.'
"At that point Mr. Shaw said: 'Get the handcuffs.' "Throughout the incident Miss Johnson was swearing all the time and upsetting her fellow passengers.
"When police officers arrived at Terminal Five to meet Miss Jonson she was clearly drunk."
Johnson's lawyer Miss Laura Hucknell said: "This was meant to be her honeymoon with her husband. She is in the country with him, he's a musician performing in a London concert and they have rented a flat.
"She is devastated and horrified at her behaviour, particularly as she is a former cabin staff employee herself.
"She has little, if any, memory of the incident, but was nervous and stressed when boarding and did not have anything to eat.
"She is terrified of the prospect of going into custody and has not slept since."
Judge Robin Johnson said: "This was alarming and violent behaviour and violence in an airplane inevitably carries immediate imprisonment.
"By the skin of your teeth I have decided not to send you to prison."
Johnson was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months, ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to Mr. Stoner, £1,000 to Mr. Shaw, £650 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
No comments:
Post a Comment