The pilot saw the safety of his aircraft compromised, and he decided to get it down first and ask questions later. That is the right thing to do.
Indeed.
JH and team....I truly hope you will "throw the book at them" if you are given the opportunity.
That part is interesting. I suspect much of it will depend on the announcement that was made to the passengers that seems to have led to the 'fracas/difficult situation at the back of the aircraft. If it was merely the case that the captain informed passengers that an person had been identified as smoking, and would be handed over to police at Glasgow then I have no problems at all, and yes, the book should be thrown at the passengers involved.
However, if the culprit had not been identified, and if, as the passengers accounts claim, they were told that they would be kept on the plane at Glasgow (until the police arrived?) unless someone owned up, then like others on this board I would have a problem with that.
It would be nice then to know what was said to the passengers. I appreciate though that for one reason or another this may not be possible.
Perhaps though I could ask this question which might serve just as well - was the person identified as smoking handed over to the police on arrival at Cardiff?