A drunk Virgin Atlantic passenger headbutted her partner after downing 15 cans of wine during a nine-hour flight from Miami to London. Karen Baker, 59, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on February 9 after a bizarre row descended when she accused passengers behind her of kicking her seat.
Prosecutor Ashleigh Ettienne told Uxbridge magistrates’ court that Ms Baker “started to try and have a conversation with those seated around her” but was “speaking very loudly and slurring her words” after drinking a huge amount of alcohol. “When other passengers did not respond, she told one: “F*** you then,” Ms Ettienne added. “Her partner tried to calm her down, at which point she got in his face and shouted: ‘What the f*** did you say?'” Ms Baker was then seen assaulting her partner – who has not been named – by trying to headbutt him, elbowing him several times and punching him.
According to The Sun, Ms Baker then had to be pulled off her partner by other passengers and the cabin crew of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
After they tried to intervene, the Brit, who lives in a £200,000 three-bed home in Lincoln, yelled: “I will be going back to my big house and you will be going back to your council houses”.
However, Ms Baker continued to abuse “terrified” passengers, including making a racist comment. She was arrested upon arrival at Heathrow Airport, where the flight crew told officers she had ordered 15 cans of wine. Virgin Atlantic serves a range of wines from British company Nice Wines, including an Argentine Malbec, which is available in 187ml cans with an alcohol content of 13.5%.
She claimed she had been ordering the cans for herself and her family, but Ms Ettienne said cabin crew “noticed she was keeping the cans to herself”.
Ms Baker has admitted to being drunk on an aircraft, racially aggravated harassment and using threatening or abusive words to cause alarm or distress. She had denied assault, but was convicted by magistrates.
Magistrate Rex Da Rocha told Ms Baker she would be committed to Isleworth Crown Court for sentencing, which could result in a prison term. She was given unconditional bail until the hearing on November 12.