A newly married couple’s Santorini honeymoon was ruined when the husband was escorted off a Jet2 plane by police after subjecting its captain to a tirade of drunken, foul-mouthed abuse.
Christopher Thompson and his wife Jenna were looking forward to a holiday in Greece following their wedding – but it was quickly brought to an end after Thompson, 43, had been boozing in the departure lounge.
The incident began when he refused to stop vaping on board the flight, telling its captain to “f*** off” while frothing at the mouth with rage causing the plane to be delayed.
Thompson was given a ten-week sentence suspended for 12 months after admitting to being drunk on an aircraft during a hearing at Manchester Crown Court.
The court heard how Thompson was “clearly intoxicated” when boarding the plane on September 16 last year.
Prosecutor Tobias Collins said: “The captain determined he was a safety risk and went to speak to him – but he still did not stop and told the captain to ‘F*** off’.
“As a result of his behaviour, a flight was eventually cancelled due to the delay caused.
“When police arrived, they met with the defendant and he was arrested.”
While being arrested, the husband told police officers they could not take him away as he was on his honeymoon and screamed for 10 minutes when he was eventually handcuffed.
Thompson, a window cleaner, also told his wife to get a lawyer as she filmed the incident.
He told officers he had sworn in “exasperation” rather than anger after seeing the “look of disappointment and anguish” on Jenna’s face when they questioned him following the incident.
His lawyer Alistair Reid told the court: “He is ordinarily a very responsible and respectable man, works as a window fitter, is married and has two daughters.
“He has a number of family members in Majorca, including his father. This incident has caused him significant difficulties in terms of how to fly there.”
Thomson was ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £510 along with the jail sentence, while Jet2 has also banned him from flying for 12 months.
Recorder Jennifer Cleeve said: “You are confined in a tube in the sky and the safety of other passengers may well be put in jeopardy simply because of a relatively small incident that may have catastrophic consequences which may be unforeseen.
“You have told the probation officer that you are absolutely mortified. No doubt you will also be upset at having ruined your honeymoon.
“You have been punished to some extent from the airline an you have also been punished at not being able to go on your honeymoon.”
