This is the moment a drunk passenger was dragged off a Jet2 flight to Turkey after downing half a bottle of whisky and launching a foul-mouthed tirade at cabin crew.
Lewis Howarth, 36, was abusive to staff, repeatedly stood up during the safety briefing and called one stewardess a ‘d***head’ when asked to fasten his seatbelt.
Police boarded the plane, which had to be turned around at Manchester Airport, and spoke to the cabin crew, who said Howarth was ‘highly intoxicated’ and swearing at other passengers.
He initially appeared compliant when approached by cops, but his behaviour quickly changed as officers tried to escort him off the flight.
“He started to resist and tried to fight or assault those escorting him,” prosecutor Saul Brody said. “He was taken to the floor and handcuffed, and was described as thrashing his head towards the passengers and officers.
“He was restrained on the floor of the aisle, and once outside he continued shouting abuse towards the officers.” Other passengers cheered as he was marched off the plane.
An officer told him: “You were bang out of order, there were so many kids on there.” Howarth slurred: “My kids are there… you are f****** wrong,. Nah f*** off you little rats. Do you [really think] I’m not going to go on holiday?”
“No you’re not,” the officer replied. When Howarth was told he was being arrested for being drunk on a plane, he began laughing and said: “No I’m not, you little rat, you f****** d***heads, rat b******s.”
In a video released by the Crown Prosecution Service after Howarth was jailed, he is seen being restrained by officers on the boarding bridge.
He is attempting to kick out at officers, baring his teeth – in what prosecutors said was an attempt to bite officers – and making threats.
Howarth has previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly; affray; racially-aggravated harassment; assaulting a police officer and failing to comply with court orders.
Mitigating, barrister William Staunton said Howarth was ‘peer pressured’ into having a drink because he was nervous of flying. He was ‘chastised’ by his fiancé for being drunk, which triggered his behaviour, he added.
“He had the hangover of all hangovers,” Mr Staunton added. “He is profoundly ashamed and deeply remorseful. He wants to say sorry and this won’t happen again.”
The court heard Howarth, from Bolton, part-owns a building company and is a successful installer. He had also done various work for the community and appeared on TV doing DIY emergencies.
Jailing Howarth, of Mobberley Road, Bolton, for 14 weeks, Recorder Geoffrey Wells said: “This behaviour was shocking. There is no excuse for being drunk when you go on an airplane. Your children saw you behaving like that. What kind of example is that? Wholly disgraceful.
“‘Peer pressure?’. What nonsense.”
Howarth pleaded guilty to entering an aircraft when drunk; assault on an emergency worker; and common assault of an emergency worker.
