A graphic designer had to be handcuffed on a British Airways flight from LA to London after he flew into a rage when he was refused a drink, a court heard today.
Simon Jones, 50, had been living in Los Angeles for 20 years and hoped to break into the movie business.
He was flying from LA to London Heathrow on May 23 when he ‘became louder and louder’ to the annoyance of fellow passengers, including policeman Jeremy Brown.
When Jones was refused a drink by cabin crew during the 10 hour BA flight he yelled: ‘Can I have a f*****g glass? Get me a f*****g glass for me. Give me a f*****g drink.’
Adeal Mahmood, prosecuting, told Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court: ‘During the pre-flight safety procedure, the defendant was clapping his hands and talking very loudly.
‘Mr Brown assumed he might have been drunk and spoke to him about the language he was using, asking him to be more considerate to the crew and other passengers.
‘The defendant was getting up to the toilet every few minutes, and he was getting irate – swearing at Mr Brown and spitting while he was speaking.
‘He called Mr Brown a “f*****g c***”. Mr Brown asked the defendant not to swear, but the defendant did not listen.
‘Mr Brown’s pillow then fell onto the floor and touched the defendant’s foot. The defendant then shouted: “If you do that again, I will put a pillow in your f***ing face”.’
Simon Jones, 50, pictured today outside Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court
Mr Mahmood said the graphic designer became ‘irate’ when the captain ordered the crew not to serve him any more alcohol.
‘He was gritting his teeth, clenching his fists, pacing up and down the cabin, trying to engage other passengers in unwanted conversation.
‘He then sat by the emergency slide, and was told not to do this.’
Jones then started arguing with another crew member.
‘The defendant started to shout “f***” at the aircraft ceiling,’ Mr Mahmood told the court.
‘He got into a passenger’s face, at which point the passenger put his hands up to protect himself.’
Jones was then forcibly handcuffed in his seat by cabin crew.
Mr Mahmood said: ‘The defendant then shouted at all passengers, and at this time the captain ordered the defendant to be restrained into his seat using handcuffs.
‘The defendant continued to shout and swear. He shouted: “Oi, blonde boy, loosen these cuffs, or I’ll wrap them around your neck”.
“What the f*** are you looking at? What the f*** is your problem?”
‘The crew were prevented from serving breakfast on the flight. Upon landing, police constable Luke Adams bordered the aircraft and arrested the defendant.’
Wearing a dark navy suit with glasses, with his long hair slicked back, Jones appeared in court speaking only to confirm his personal details.
He admitted two counts of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words towards crew while in an aircraft and one of ‘behaving in threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner towards a member of aircraft crew’.
He also admitted intentionally interfering with the performance of an aircraft crew member’s duty.
Katie McFadden, defending Jones, said: ‘He is somebody who suffers from mental health conditions. That flight was quite an emotional flight for him.
‘He had been living in LA for the previous 20 year and been married and divorced.
‘Everything came tumbling down and he had decided to move back to the UK to move to his family.
‘He was saying goodbye to the life he had for 20 years, and some of the dreams he hoped to have there. He wanted to break into the movie business.’
But District Judge Kathryn Verghis said: ‘This was from start to finish dreadful behaviour. As a starting point I need a pre-sentence report.
‘Given the weight of the evidence, I am wondering why it has taken Mr Jones to plead guilty after such a long time.
‘It is very much in your interests to ensure probation has information about your circumstances. It is an all options report, and that includes potential committal for sentence.’
Jones, of Bedford, was granted conditional bail ahead of sentence on October 20 back at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.
