Drunken lout accused of smoking on Easyjet flight launches homophobic rant at stewardess

Drunken lout accused of smoking on easyJet flight launches homophobic rant at stewardess

A drunken air passenger accused of smoking on an easyJet flight hurled homophobic abuse at a stewardess.

James Kevin Dawson, 33, was arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on May 21, after the incident during a flight back from Lanzarote.

Dawson pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words in an aircraft to a member of the crew, under Schedule 13 of the Air Navigation Order 2009, at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Fellow passenger Dean James Lynch, aged 32, pleaded guilty to the same offence, although the prosecution agreed he had played a lesser role in the incident.

The defendants were flying home from a joint holiday, with their partners and children, when Dawson got into an altercation with Veronica Pascual, cabin manager of the A320 Airbus plane.

Sarah Gray, prosecuting, said a crew member smelled cigarette smoke coming from the toilet area of the aircraft.

She said, “A female passenger emerged from the toilets but it was quickly established she was the not the one who had been smoking. The passenger indicated Mr Dawson had used the toilet before her.”

The court heard the crew member told Ms Pascual, who went to speak to Dawson.

However, Dawson was upset by the allegation and claimed he had not been smoking.

He appeared drunk and said: “Why are you saying I have been f****** smoking?”

The court heard at this stage Lynch acted as peacemaker and it was agreed that Dawson would not be served alcohol.

But Ms Gray said later in the flight Lynch was involved in an altercation with crew member Claire Proctor, after he asked her to repeat the price of some drinks he had bought.

She repeated the amount in a ‘loud, clear voice’ which upset Lynch, as he believed she was talking down to him.

Ms Gray said Lynch told Ms Proctor to “go and do her f****** job”.

She said, “For the rest of the flight Dawson and Lynch continued this type of behaviour, shouting and being intimidating towards Ms Proctor and Ms Pascual.”

After the flight landed the defendants were arrested, which caused Dawson to fly into a rage.

As he was led away by police officers, he hurled other homophobic and insulting remarks at Ms Pascual. This was witnessed by other passengers.

Paul Williams, defending Dawson, said the offence was at the lower end of the scale, and the more serious abuse only occurred after the flight had landed,

He said his client was a hardworking man and was upset about being wrongfully accused of smoking. He said when Dawson was searched no cigarettes were found.

Dawson and Lynch were released on bail and will be sentenced on October 1.