Airbubba
6th Dec 2003, 07:17
From the boyz will be boyz department:
Drunken Soldiers Fined for Causing Panic on Plane
By John-Paul Ford Rojas, PA News
Five soldiers who caused panic on a packed passenger aircraft with their drunken and rowdy behaviour were each fined sums ranging from £1,200 to £1,500 today.
They were in a group of 18 soldiers heading back to Newcastle Airport from Belfast in November last year.
Their antics included shouting, abusive language and touching the bottom of a young air hostess, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The pilot of the British European flight had to radio for police to meet the men when it landed and some of the soldiers reacted violently as they were arrested.
Judge Beatrice Bolton said: “This is reminiscent of a school bus where the children don’t know better. The behaviour is far below what could be expected from adults, especially adults who are serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.”
John Adams, Neil Ambler, Glen Vickers, Michael Brierly and Paul Wright all pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to being drunk on board the aircraft.
The five, from the first battalion of the Coldstream Guards, based at Aldershot, were going on home leave to north-east England after service in Northern Ireland.
Vickers, 35, of Keasdon Close, Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, a staff sergeant and the senior officer among the group, was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £150 costs.
Ambler, 26, of Emmerdale Close, Penshaw, County Durham and Brierly, also 26, of Strawberry Gardens, Wallsend, North Tyneside were each fined £1,200 and ordered to pay costs of £300.
Adams, 24, of Alnwick Square, Sunderland and Wright, also 24, of Orpington Avenue, Newcastle, were both fined £1,200 each and ordered to pay £150 costs.
Handing down the fines the judge said: “You are each a member of the same platoon and what you did was to let your commanding officer down, let your battalion down, let your regiment down, and let the Army down.
“Instead of protecting the civilian population you intimidated them. Instead of being courteous to the civilian population you were rude and vulgar.
“Instead of giving them a sense of security you can imagine those on the plane felt a sense of panic.”
She added: “I hope each and every one of you are more than sorry for the disgrace that you wrought upon your regiment and for the sense of disturbance and disquiet that you caused those of us who pay your wages.”
The men had been drinking heavily before boarding the 50-seater de Havilland dash-8 aircraft which was carrying 48 passengers.
Robin Patton, prosecuting, had told the court that almost as soon as the doors were closed on the aircraft it had become clear they were in a “boisterous” mood.
Two young female cabin crew who became the subject of their abuse first noticed their behaviour when shouting interrupted the safety demonstration as the plane was about to take off.
Mr Patton said one woman who was sitting alongside the soldiers had described how they used “foul language” throughout the flight, leaving her feeling intimidated.
He said that by the end of the flight she was “hysterical“.
The court also heard how the men rushed around the plane and swore and became abusive when confronted about their actions. Many of the women on board were in tears.
An Army officer told the judge that each of the men would be disciplined internally and barred from promotion for two years.
The judge said this was not a case of “air rage” as it had not involved violence towards other passengers or members of the cabin crew or damage to the aeroplane.
She told the men: “Whilst despicable that sort of behaviour can be distinguished from the sort of behaviour which is called air rage and always merits a custodial sentence.”
http://www.news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2264624
Drunken Soldiers Fined for Causing Panic on Plane
By John-Paul Ford Rojas, PA News
Five soldiers who caused panic on a packed passenger aircraft with their drunken and rowdy behaviour were each fined sums ranging from £1,200 to £1,500 today.
They were in a group of 18 soldiers heading back to Newcastle Airport from Belfast in November last year.
Their antics included shouting, abusive language and touching the bottom of a young air hostess, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
The pilot of the British European flight had to radio for police to meet the men when it landed and some of the soldiers reacted violently as they were arrested.
Judge Beatrice Bolton said: “This is reminiscent of a school bus where the children don’t know better. The behaviour is far below what could be expected from adults, especially adults who are serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.”
John Adams, Neil Ambler, Glen Vickers, Michael Brierly and Paul Wright all pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to being drunk on board the aircraft.
The five, from the first battalion of the Coldstream Guards, based at Aldershot, were going on home leave to north-east England after service in Northern Ireland.
Vickers, 35, of Keasdon Close, Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, a staff sergeant and the senior officer among the group, was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £150 costs.
Ambler, 26, of Emmerdale Close, Penshaw, County Durham and Brierly, also 26, of Strawberry Gardens, Wallsend, North Tyneside were each fined £1,200 and ordered to pay costs of £300.
Adams, 24, of Alnwick Square, Sunderland and Wright, also 24, of Orpington Avenue, Newcastle, were both fined £1,200 each and ordered to pay £150 costs.
Handing down the fines the judge said: “You are each a member of the same platoon and what you did was to let your commanding officer down, let your battalion down, let your regiment down, and let the Army down.
“Instead of protecting the civilian population you intimidated them. Instead of being courteous to the civilian population you were rude and vulgar.
“Instead of giving them a sense of security you can imagine those on the plane felt a sense of panic.”
She added: “I hope each and every one of you are more than sorry for the disgrace that you wrought upon your regiment and for the sense of disturbance and disquiet that you caused those of us who pay your wages.”
The men had been drinking heavily before boarding the 50-seater de Havilland dash-8 aircraft which was carrying 48 passengers.
Robin Patton, prosecuting, had told the court that almost as soon as the doors were closed on the aircraft it had become clear they were in a “boisterous” mood.
Two young female cabin crew who became the subject of their abuse first noticed their behaviour when shouting interrupted the safety demonstration as the plane was about to take off.
Mr Patton said one woman who was sitting alongside the soldiers had described how they used “foul language” throughout the flight, leaving her feeling intimidated.
He said that by the end of the flight she was “hysterical“.
The court also heard how the men rushed around the plane and swore and became abusive when confronted about their actions. Many of the women on board were in tears.
An Army officer told the judge that each of the men would be disciplined internally and barred from promotion for two years.
The judge said this was not a case of “air rage” as it had not involved violence towards other passengers or members of the cabin crew or damage to the aeroplane.
She told the men: “Whilst despicable that sort of behaviour can be distinguished from the sort of behaviour which is called air rage and always merits a custodial sentence.”
http://www.news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2264624