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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Ryan Merrifield

Airline passenger, 23, duct-taped to seat mid-flight for groping crew jailed for 60 days

A passenger who was duct-taped to his seat for groping two flight attendants and punching a third has been jailed.

Maxwell Berry went viral after footage of him bound to his seat on a Frontier Airlines flight was shared online.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of assault in relation to the incident on July 31 last year.

He was sentenced to 60 days in custody on Tuesday, according to court documents.

Berry had reportedly had at least two drinks on the flight between US cities Philadelphia and Miami when the confrontation took place.

During the shocking scenes, Berry hurled abuse at passengers and crew and claimed his parents were millionaires.

Berry, from Norfolk, Ohio, brushed his empty drink against a female flight attendant's bottom as he demanded another.

She then reportedly told him not to touch her, but eventually gave him a drink.

Berry then went on to spill his new drink down himself.

He later emerged from the toilets topless and airline staff had to help him put on a dry shirt from his carry-on bag.

But he preceded to wrap his arms around two female flight attendants and groped their breasts.

He has been jailed for 60 days (DailyStar/WS)

When a male cabin crew member tried to intervene, Berry punched him in the face.

Fellow passenger Alfredo Rivera, who was sat behind the offender, filmed the unsavoury scenes.

He also captured the moments the crew taped Berry to his seat.

Berry was arrested by Miami Police when the plane touched down.

Two of his victims attended the sentencing - Jordan Galarza, whom Berry struck, and Tymerah Burgess, who was groped, WPLG reported.

Mr Galarza said: "My number one role on any aircraft is to protect the passengers, including Maxwell Berry, who we did get to Miami safely that day."

He added that taping him to his chair might be "a bit barbaric, but it worked perfectly and no one got hurt because of how we did what we did".

Both gave impact statements and told a reporter they feel the 60-day sentence is not enough time.

"He made an enemy of everyone on that flight," Mr Galarza said.

"The people on that aircraft saw justice happen - more than what we saw today.

"I think it’s a disgusting miscarriage of justice, in my opinion."

Berry expressed remorse and said he was embarrassed by what he'd done in court.

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