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27
Jun
Drunk Harrogate man who assaulted passenger on Leeds Bradford Airport plane jailed
A Harrogate man has been jailed after a drunken fight on a plane bound for Crete.
Nathan Cooper, 44, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to affray and being drunk on an aircraft.
Cooper boarded a plane bound for Chania, Crete, at Leeds Bradford Airport on July 24 last year.
The 44-year-old started fighting with another passenger on the plane, causing members of the crew and other passengers to fear violence .
During his arrest, Cooper punched one officer and bit another. A mostly drunk bottle of vodka was found at Cooper’s seat.
Cooper, of Dene Park in Harrogate, was sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Following sentencing, Inspector Kevin Lowther, of West Yorkshire Police, said:
There may have been a heatwave in the UK this week, but we know lots of people will have holidays planned to usually hotter climes in the coming months.
Sadly, a few people’s selfish actions have the power to derail the travel plans of every other passenger on their flight. Cabin staff should also not have to deal with such threatening and frightening behaviour in their workplace.
We need people to take some personal responsibility and think how they would feel if the shoe was on the other foot and they were in a confined space, potentially with young children, being put in fear by someone shouting or behaving violently.
Our attending officers in this incident were also met with violence and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.
I hope the fact that Cooper has been sent to prison sends a message to others about the repercussions of drunk and violent behaviour on aeroplanes.
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