A man who got so drunk on a flight to Amsterdam that he couldn't operate his seat belt woke up in a police cell, and has now issued an apology to his fellow passengers. Cabin crew tried to help Stephen Bartle but he became abusive - telling one to commit a sex act on him - and was ejected from the plane before it departed.
Bartle, 36, of Green Lane, Redruth, admitted being drunk on an aircraft and a public order offence, reports BristolLive. Judge James Patrick handed him an 18-month community order with 150 hours' unpaid work and £425 costs.
As he left court, Bartle told Bristol Live: "I just want to apologise to everybody that was on the plane. I was a little bit drunk, said a couple of things that I shouldn't have done, and want to put this all behind me."
Andy Pickett, prosecuting, said Bartle was abusive to two female members of the cabin crew. He had to be physically restrained by a friend and another passenger.
One of the cabin crew described degrading abuse she received as "shocking and upsetting" and said she had felt totally humiliated and trapped. She wrote: "He said nothing to male staff. I believe he is a coward, he needs to be taught how to respect women."
Mr Pickett said when he woke up at the police station, Bartle didn't know which country he was in. Bartle told the judge: "I'm deeply embarrassed about some of the things I said. I'm not really an aggressive man at all.
"It is the first time I've been in any sort of trouble with the court at all. I just work and keep my head down normally, but I was excited about going on holiday with friends and I drank a little bit too much.
"When I woke up in the police cell I thought I may have been in Amsterdam. I'm deeply regretful, I just want to keep my head down and carry on with my life, know what I mean?"
Judge Patrick told him: "It is a tragedy to see a man of good character. You behaved in simply a shocking way, turning up for a flight, extremely drunk, so drunk you were incapable of demonstrating you were safe to fly."
