BBC - Mum bit Swiss pilot in cockpit in 'self-defence'
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BBC - Mum bit Swiss pilot in cockpit in 'self-defence'
Heathrow Airport: Mum bit Swiss pilot in cockpit in 'self-defence'
- 3 hours ago
Image copyright Alamy - Henrietta Mitaire said she was 'scared' by how 'aggresive' Captain Guido Keel was being, the court heard A woman accused of biting a Swiss Air pilot in a row over a child's buggy has told a court she acted in self-defence.Henrietta Mitaire, 23, and her mother Mary Roberts, 53, are accused of pushing Captain Guido Keel to the floor, scratching and kicking him.
Ms Mitaire told Uxbridge Magistrates' Court her actions arose from "extreme fear" as she "tussled" with the pilot on 2 May last year.
Both she and Ms Roberts deny assaulting Captain Keel.
Before their flight left Zurich, Ms Mitaire had argued with airport staff who had told her to check a pushchair into the plane's hold, the court previously heard.
After landing at Heathrow from Switzerland, she approached the head of cabin crew to discuss the matter further when the captain "interrupted" the conversation.
A statement read to the court alleged that the pilot made "forceful contact" with Ms Mitaire's shoulder so she took out her phone and began recording him.
'Used my teeth'
"This made him angry and he grabbed for my phone and tried to take it to the cockpit," she said.She said the pair "tussled", and the captain grabbed her, leaving a bruise.
Ms Mitaire, of South Kensington, said in her statement that her hair was pulled and she was "petrified" she might lose consciousness as Captain Keel "kneeled on top of her".
"In a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure so I could breathe, I used my teeth to try and get him off me," she added.
"All my actions during this altercation were in self-defence, most of them in a state of extreme fear."
Image copyright PA Media - Henrietta Mitaiare and Mary Roberts were both removed from the aircraft by police and arrested James Nash, representing Ms Roberts, of Fulham, challenged the "diverging accounts" of previous witnesses, saying she "was acting in genuine defence of her daughter"."The captain was pinning her daughter, Henrietta, to the floor and Ms Roberts felt that she had to intervene," he said.
Ben Summers, representing Mitaire, said she was "the sort of person who does stand her ground" and was "demanding answers" from staff which was "not the same as being aggressive".
The prosecution offered no evidence for both defendants on charges of failing to obey the lawful commands of the aircraft's captain.
In his evidence co-pilot Friedrich Prieler made reference to the Tokyo Convention - which grants certain immunities for captains on their aircraft if they believe there is a threat to the safety of persons on board.
Mr Summers argued that the convention "only applies when in flight".
From the New Zealand Herald:
A mother and her 23-year-old daughter are accused of attacking a Swiss International Airlines pilot, battering him in his cockpit.
Henrietta Mitaiare and her mother Mary Roberts, 53, appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates court in connection with the brawl at the passenger plane's controls.
The pair had been trying to make a complaint to the cabin staff when things got nasty.
"It was like a battlefield, there were shoes on the floor and some buttons," the plane's co-pilot Friederich Preiler told the court. Competing pre-flight checks in the cabin, Preiler was witness to the onslaught:
"I saw some hair and two telephones. I saw blood on the captain's neck. I saw that he had scratches."
"I saw that the pilot's shirt was full of blood. I saw on the hand that there was more blood."
Mitaiare allegedly bit Captain Guido Keel on the arm, after accusing him of racist behaviour.
The UK nationals were returning home from a holiday in Switzerland, when they got into a disagreement with Zurich airport staff. Having been told to check the buggy, Mitaiare refused saying the pram was "too expensive", the court heard.
It was not until landing at London's Heathrow Airport that the tussle broke out in earnest. According to Ali Chkerdaa the flight purser, he was approached by the women after landing, where they asked to make a complaint about the ground staff in Zurich.
Pilot Keel came out of the cockpit, to see what was going, when he was promptly told by Mitaiare that he had "nothing to do with it" and was set upon by the angry passenger.
Roberts was reported to have got involved in the tussle, saying "get off my baby" as she pushed past the purser.
"It was a back and forth – 'give me the name, give me the name'.
"I thought, OK, I'm the flight manager I will give her the business card – 'If you have a problem or you are not happy you can contact Swiss and they will know exactly who was on this flight on the ground'.
"She didn't accept my business card. Then the captain came beside me and said 'you have already the name of the person if there is a problem you can write to Swiss.'
"She said 'Sorry you have nothing to do with it, stay away.'
"She said 'Swiss people are racist' – it's because she is a black woman travelling with a child.
Henrietta Mitaiare and her mother Mary Roberts, 53, appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates court in connection with the brawl at the passenger plane's controls.
The pair had been trying to make a complaint to the cabin staff when things got nasty.
"It was like a battlefield, there were shoes on the floor and some buttons," the plane's co-pilot Friederich Preiler told the court. Competing pre-flight checks in the cabin, Preiler was witness to the onslaught:
"I saw some hair and two telephones. I saw blood on the captain's neck. I saw that he had scratches."
"I saw that the pilot's shirt was full of blood. I saw on the hand that there was more blood."
Mitaiare allegedly bit Captain Guido Keel on the arm, after accusing him of racist behaviour.
The UK nationals were returning home from a holiday in Switzerland, when they got into a disagreement with Zurich airport staff. Having been told to check the buggy, Mitaiare refused saying the pram was "too expensive", the court heard.
It was not until landing at London's Heathrow Airport that the tussle broke out in earnest. According to Ali Chkerdaa the flight purser, he was approached by the women after landing, where they asked to make a complaint about the ground staff in Zurich.
Pilot Keel came out of the cockpit, to see what was going, when he was promptly told by Mitaiare that he had "nothing to do with it" and was set upon by the angry passenger.
Roberts was reported to have got involved in the tussle, saying "get off my baby" as she pushed past the purser.
"It was a back and forth – 'give me the name, give me the name'.
"I thought, OK, I'm the flight manager I will give her the business card – 'If you have a problem or you are not happy you can contact Swiss and they will know exactly who was on this flight on the ground'.
"She didn't accept my business card. Then the captain came beside me and said 'you have already the name of the person if there is a problem you can write to Swiss.'
"She said 'Sorry you have nothing to do with it, stay away.'
"She said 'Swiss people are racist' – it's because she is a black woman travelling with a child.
Why use the word 'Mum' here? Misused enough already.
@marchino61, (young) mothers from hell?
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Actually....she did!
Cabin manager Ali Chkerdaa told the court Mitaiare had approached him when the plane had landed at Heathrow and there was a "back and forth" before Capt Keel came out of the cockpit.
"She said something (to Capt Keel) like, 'Don't meddle with it, you have nothing to do with it'," Mr Chkerdaa said.
"She said Swiss people are racist, because she was a black woman travelling with a child.
"(Capt Keel) said, 'We have to stop it, could you please step outside.' She said, 'Don't touch me'. The moment he touched her she went all crazy."
"She said something (to Capt Keel) like, 'Don't meddle with it, you have nothing to do with it'," Mr Chkerdaa said.
"She said Swiss people are racist, because she was a black woman travelling with a child.
"(Capt Keel) said, 'We have to stop it, could you please step outside.' She said, 'Don't touch me'. The moment he touched her she went all crazy."
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I've never paid much attention to this, do push chairs always go in the hold?
Something weird happened a few years ago when some pushchairs/prams suddenly became very expensive, e.g the Bugaboo. That seems to be both a pram and a product to illustrate the owner's status, much like a car or being able to afford to vacation in Switzerland...
Something weird happened a few years ago when some pushchairs/prams suddenly became very expensive, e.g the Bugaboo. That seems to be both a pram and a product to illustrate the owner's status, much like a car or being able to afford to vacation in Switzerland...
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No FLy list is insufficient for this.
I really hope they both spend some time in jail. We are talking about an argument over staff simply doing their job, followed by an assault on someone who was simply politely seeking to resolve the situation in a reasonable way. The assault resulted in actual injury, albeit minor and then to compound it they have forced a trial with the accompanying costs and inconvenience to all concerned rather than plead guilty.
I think 3 to 6 months in prison are appropriate.
My prediction is that they will receive suspended sentences because they are women. The effect on children will be mentioned, it will be said that this is an isolated incident and in sentencing the judge will say they are very lucky to avoid jail. The reality is that it is quite hard for a woman to be jailed for violent assault unless she cause very serious injury and sometimes even then.
I think 3 to 6 months in prison are appropriate.
My prediction is that they will receive suspended sentences because they are women. The effect on children will be mentioned, it will be said that this is an isolated incident and in sentencing the judge will say they are very lucky to avoid jail. The reality is that it is quite hard for a woman to be jailed for violent assault unless she cause very serious injury and sometimes even then.
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I just wonder how the pushchair was dealt with on the outward journey - one favour can create problems later.
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Not sure about Swiss. I do not have manual right now but the other airline I just checked puts them always to hold. Either it goes to hold as checked-in bag so it is taken away immediately or if it is small enough you can keep it and take it to aircraft door then it will get a tag and it will be loaded to hold anyway. But they are marked and they should be offloaded first, ground staff is informed about them and they should be delivered immediately back to passanger.
When aircraft departs the automatic message about loading is sent to its destination and there should be written they have it on board and should deliver it to passanger.
When aircraft departs the automatic message about loading is sent to its destination and there should be written they have it on board and should deliver it to passanger.
Push chairs these days are now the size of small prams, yes they do cost a fortune, and yes even in my day at LHR and LGW we took them off the pax at the gate, or at the aircraft door and we did try and promise that the loaders would give it back at the other end - or the pushchairs go up on the belt with all the bags.
Mrs Shquira Chiquita here got quickly very stroppy and said hers cost a fortune, and faster than a Hot Jamaica Pattie became typically unreasonable and refused to listen to the crew trying to diffuse the situation.
She then switched off and lost the plot with screaming ab-jabs and then, oh yes here come's the the race card - how predictable yawn
Hope she gets banged up...If she has the ££££ for a posh pram, then this glamour puss should have had the manners and decorum to behave nicely in front of her kiddies and reasonably to folk in authority trying to help her.
Mrs Shquira Chiquita here got quickly very stroppy and said hers cost a fortune, and faster than a Hot Jamaica Pattie became typically unreasonable and refused to listen to the crew trying to diffuse the situation.
She then switched off and lost the plot with screaming ab-jabs and then, oh yes here come's the the race card - how predictable yawn
Hope she gets banged up...If she has the ££££ for a posh pram, then this glamour puss should have had the manners and decorum to behave nicely in front of her kiddies and reasonably to folk in authority trying to help her.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-51749556 Guilty M'Lord - take her down-------------
A mother has been found guilty of attacking a Swiss airline pilot after being told she could not take a buggy in the cabin.
Henrietta Mitaire, 23, pushed Captain Guido Keel to the floor, then scratched and kicked him after her plane arrived at Heathrow Airport on May 2 2019.
In the ensuing tussle she ended up on top of him, Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard.
Mitaire was convicted of assault by beating.
She had denied the charges.
Her mother Mary Roberts, 53, was also accused of assault after she tried to intervene.
But she was acquitted after a two-day trial.
Judge Wright said the offence "passed the custody threshold by a million miles".
She was remanded into custody ahead of her sentence on a date to be set.
Roberts, of Elswick Street, Imperial Wharf, south-west London, was asked to leave the court building when she became too upset. LOL LOL
Imperial Wharf and Queen's Gate Place in South Kensington
is Uber posh and ££££ loadsa money
A mother has been found guilty of attacking a Swiss airline pilot after being told she could not take a buggy in the cabin.
Henrietta Mitaire, 23, pushed Captain Guido Keel to the floor, then scratched and kicked him after her plane arrived at Heathrow Airport on May 2 2019.
In the ensuing tussle she ended up on top of him, Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard.
Mitaire was convicted of assault by beating.
She had denied the charges.
Her mother Mary Roberts, 53, was also accused of assault after she tried to intervene.
But she was acquitted after a two-day trial.
Judge Wright said the offence "passed the custody threshold by a million miles".
She was remanded into custody ahead of her sentence on a date to be set.
Roberts, of Elswick Street, Imperial Wharf, south-west London, was asked to leave the court building when she became too upset. LOL LOL
Imperial Wharf and Queen's Gate Place in South Kensington
is Uber posh and ££££ loadsa money
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An update on today's hearing from the Beeb. Same item as rog747 just posted with some additional commentary from the judge and another picture of the 'mums'.
Henrietta Mitaire (pictured with her mother Mary Roberts - right) assaulted Captain Guido Keel after being told she could not take a buggy in the cabin
A mother has been found guilty of attacking a Swiss airline pilot after being told she could not take a buggy in the cabin.
Henrietta Mitaire, 23, pushed Captain Guido Keel to the floor, then scratched and kicked him after her plane arrived at Heathrow Airport on May 2 2019.
In the ensuing tussle she ended up on top of him, Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard.
Mitaire was convicted of assault by beating.
She had denied the charges.
Her mother Mary Roberts, 53, was also accused of assault after she tried to intervene. But she was acquitted after a two-day trial.
Sentencing, district judge Deborah Wright said Capt Keel had been "trying to protect himself from a very loud and very angry woman who had refused to leave the plane".
She added: "She was shouting, recording him and seemed intent upon pursuing him.
"It is a wonder [Capt Keel] managed to remain as calm as he appears from the footage to have done, in the face of a very forceful onslaught."
Mitaire, of Queen's Gate Place in South Kensington, south-west London, had claimed she was acting in self-defence after Capt Keel "forcefully" made contact with her shoulder and tried to take her phone when she started filming.
She was remanded into custody ahead of her sentence on a date to be set.
Judge Wright said the offence "passed the custody threshold by a million miles".
Roberts, of Elswick Street, Imperial Wharf, south-west London, was asked to leave the court building when she became too upset.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-51749556
Heathrow Airport: Henrietta Mitaire guilty of pilot buggy row assault
- 51 minutes ago
Henrietta Mitaire (pictured with her mother Mary Roberts - right) assaulted Captain Guido Keel after being told she could not take a buggy in the cabin
A mother has been found guilty of attacking a Swiss airline pilot after being told she could not take a buggy in the cabin.
Henrietta Mitaire, 23, pushed Captain Guido Keel to the floor, then scratched and kicked him after her plane arrived at Heathrow Airport on May 2 2019.
In the ensuing tussle she ended up on top of him, Uxbridge Magistrates' Court heard.
Mitaire was convicted of assault by beating.
She had denied the charges.
Her mother Mary Roberts, 53, was also accused of assault after she tried to intervene. But she was acquitted after a two-day trial.
Sentencing, district judge Deborah Wright said Capt Keel had been "trying to protect himself from a very loud and very angry woman who had refused to leave the plane".
She added: "She was shouting, recording him and seemed intent upon pursuing him.
"It is a wonder [Capt Keel] managed to remain as calm as he appears from the footage to have done, in the face of a very forceful onslaught."
Mitaire, of Queen's Gate Place in South Kensington, south-west London, had claimed she was acting in self-defence after Capt Keel "forcefully" made contact with her shoulder and tried to take her phone when she started filming.
She was remanded into custody ahead of her sentence on a date to be set.
Judge Wright said the offence "passed the custody threshold by a million miles".
Roberts, of Elswick Street, Imperial Wharf, south-west London, was asked to leave the court building when she became too upset.
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This link(*) is more comprehensive than either of the previous 2 adding some significant details e.g. the main defendant did not give evidence.
(*) As a newbee I cannot post the link. If interested, Google York press with the names of the attacker and it should come up.
However it is at significant variance in terms of the sentence.
Bot previous state she was remanded for sentence at a later date.
This says she was given a custodial sentence of a few months suspended for 1 year.
Also 6 months of night time curfew at home.
Also, extremely ambiguously for me at least a threat of instant jailing if she doesn't pay some fine/ compensation "at once"; whatever that legal phrase means.
The photos accompanying appear to confirm non-remand outcome.
Two observations:
Were I the Captain who suffered the assault, I would be very disappointed at the bluster of the judge.
She, the judge, appears willing to talk the talk but unwilling to walk the walk.
Secondly, having worked in English state education for most of my professional life, it is hard not to see this and parallel cases before the courts as indicative that the outrageous misbehaviour which has been a daily occurrence in English schools for many decades past is now being displayed in wider society as the many many un-socialised pupils involved grow and spread their wings.
The final decision in this case, if this report is correct, does not encourage me to think that English society is willing to smell the coffee any time soon.
One final observation:
The violent lady in question can obviously only have 1 of 2 careers in mind; pilot or judge.
I leave it to you to allow Professor Google tell which of these 2 wholly inappropriate posts most takes her fancy.
(*) As a newbee I cannot post the link. If interested, Google York press with the names of the attacker and it should come up.
However it is at significant variance in terms of the sentence.
Bot previous state she was remanded for sentence at a later date.
This says she was given a custodial sentence of a few months suspended for 1 year.
Also 6 months of night time curfew at home.
Also, extremely ambiguously for me at least a threat of instant jailing if she doesn't pay some fine/ compensation "at once"; whatever that legal phrase means.
The photos accompanying appear to confirm non-remand outcome.
Two observations:
Were I the Captain who suffered the assault, I would be very disappointed at the bluster of the judge.
She, the judge, appears willing to talk the talk but unwilling to walk the walk.
Secondly, having worked in English state education for most of my professional life, it is hard not to see this and parallel cases before the courts as indicative that the outrageous misbehaviour which has been a daily occurrence in English schools for many decades past is now being displayed in wider society as the many many un-socialised pupils involved grow and spread their wings.
The final decision in this case, if this report is correct, does not encourage me to think that English society is willing to smell the coffee any time soon.
One final observation:
The violent lady in question can obviously only have 1 of 2 careers in mind; pilot or judge.
I leave it to you to allow Professor Google tell which of these 2 wholly inappropriate posts most takes her fancy.