Drunken passenger who wet and soiled himself and screamed at fellow Thomas Cook flier after downing vodka and rum is jailed for eight months
- James Petford and Margaret McGuigan were caught downing vodka on a flight
- He screamed in another passenger’s face and urinated and vomited in his seat
- His then-partner McGuigan even refused to sit down when plane came into land
- Petford was this week jailed for eight months at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court
- McGuigan sentenced to 12 month community order and 60 hours unpaid work
James Petford and Margaret McGuigan are pictured leaving Birmingham Magistrates’ Court in November
A drunken passenger who caused mayhem with his disruptive and aggressive behaviour on a flight from Birmingham to Egypt has been jailed for eight months.
James Petford screamed in the face of another passenger and urinated and vomited in his seat after downing vodka and rum.
Petford, 39, of Kings Norton, Birmingham, and his then partner Margaret McGuigan, 38, of the same address, had both previously admitted a charge of being drunk on an aircraft.
She was sentenced to a 12 month community order, ordered to do 60 hours unpaid work and pay £340 costs.
They had been on a flight on May 15 last year, lasting about four and half hours.
After a couple of hours one of the passengers witnessed Petford being hit by McGuigan.
The cabin crew asked one of them to move but after initially refusing and being abusive Petford agreed to go to the back.
At that stage a cabin crew member discovered a litre bottle of vodka which was confiscated.
A little later Petford was seen to light up a rolled up a cigarette which was taken off him.
He was then found to be carrying a half bottle of rum in a bag. Petford was described at this point as being ‘extremely drunk’ and although he refused to hand the bottle over he was so drunk he was unable to prevent the crew member from taking it from the bag.
He also got up to use the toilet and when a man came out of the cubicle he ‘screamed in his face.’
Phillip Brunt, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said ‘Later he appeared to lose control of his bladder and also vomited.’
He said as the flight was coming into land McGuigan had refused to sit down and both were later given bans on returning with the same flight company.
The cabin crew asked one of them to move but after initially refusing and being abusive Petford agreed to go to the back. At that stage a cabin crew member discovered a litre bottle of vodka which was confiscated. They are pictured outside Birmingham Magistrates Court last year
In a statement one of the crew said: ‘I had to physically hold him in his seat.
‘He is easily the most disruptive passenger I have had to deal with’.
While another said: ‘The whole incident lasted about three to four hours.
‘It would have been a horrible way to start your holidays. Their behaviour was totally out of control.’
In passing sentence Judge Simon Drew QC said: ‘Conduct of this sort is extremely serious.
‘The reason it is regarded extremely seriously is because of the close proximity of many people in a confined space.’
Addressing Petford he said: ‘There can be no doubt you were very drunk indeed.
‘You were extremely loud and abusive to passengers and members of the crew.’
While he told McGuigan: ‘Your behaviour was appalling but perhaps not so appalling as your co accused.’
Bernard Porter, for Petford, said he worked as an engineer for his brother’s air cooling business and he accepted his behaviour had been ‘disgusting’.
Theresa Hunt, for McGuigan, said there had been a combination of factors in her case and that she had drunk alcohol because she was a nervous flyer.
He also got up to use the toilet and when a man came out of the cubicle he ‘screamed in his face.’ Phillip Brunt, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said ‘Later he appeared to lose control of his bladder and also vomited’