Sharon Simmonite, 46, was sentenced to eight weeks in jail, suspended for two years
A drunken mother – who had been tranquilized before she got on a plane -rummaged through lockers in a desperate search for alcohol before launching a mid-air attack on her husband.
Sharon Simmonite, 46, lost control after being refused four glasses of wine on an Easyjet flight to Liverpool from Majorca.
Her outburst – which led to police meeting her on the John Lennon Airport runway – came even though she had been tranquilized by doctors before boarding her plane.
Trouble erupted after Simmonite arrived at the island’s Palma airport at around 9pm on the night of April 13.
Her husband, Martin, noticed a change in her behaviour after she disappeared to the toilets for between five and ten minutes.
Having spotted three-quarters of a bottle of Sangria in her bag before they left for the airport, he believed she had spent that time drinking the contents – which she denied.
She then suffered a fall, which led to doctors treating her bruising with ice and taking the decision to give the ‘upset’ and ‘angry’ 46-year-old a tranquilliser. By 11pm, the couple were sitting near the back of the flight with one of their young children.
Alan Currums, prosecuting, said the defendant was calm until cabin crew began to serve passengers.
He told Liverpool Magistrates’ Court: ‘The defendant suddenly became alert and attempted to get the attention of a cabin crew member and asked for four wines.’
When the request was refused – staff telling Simmonite they did not serve alcohol – she became angry and accused her husband of telling flight crew not to serve her. She then left her seat and went to the plane galley, opening lockers before crew stepped in.
Prosecutor Alan Currums told Liverpool Magistrates’ Court: ‘The defendant suddenly became alert and attempted to get the attention of a cabin crew member and asked for four wines.’
Mr Currams said: ‘Once she got back to them [her husband and child], she began to swear at Mr Simmonite.
‘She then began to hit him to the right arm with a clenched fist. She hit him five or six times.’
Her husband was not injured, but believed she was trying to hit him as hard as she could. Cabin crew intervened and Mr Simmonite and the couple’s son were moved to seats at the front of the plane.
The court heard Simmonite had been drinking heavily for years and also suffered an eating disorder.
When Simmonite’s request for wine was refused – with Easyjet staff telling Simmonite they did not serve alcohol – she became angry and accused her husband of telling flight crew not to serve her (file photo)
Her husband told officers she was often verbally abusive, and Mr Currams added: ‘It causes him great upset the matter has come this far but, for his and his children’s safety, he believes the defendant needs more help.’
Simmonite, of Middlewich, Cheshire, admitted being drunk on an aircraft and assaulting her husband.
Paul White, defending, said: ‘She accepts she was drunk when going to the airport and hadn’t eaten for 10 days throughout the holiday period.’
He said she was an anxious flyer and that she had shown remorse but he questioned why she was allowed to fly, considering her behaviour before her flight. He said she was ‘clearly a vulnerable woman’ who was getting help from her GP and had not had a drink for four days before the court hearing.
Sentencing her to eight weeks in jail, suspended for two years, chair of the bench Paul Walsh told Simmonite: ‘While the court acknowledges that you had some issues, this does not excuse your behaviour or make your offences less serious.’
Simmonite was also handed a rehabilitation order.