A woman told passengers to ‘go back to your council houses’ after downing 15 cans of wine on a nine-hour flight, a court has heard.
Karen Baker, 59, elbowed and punched her partner, Steven White, on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Miami to London Heathrow on February 9 this year.
During the flight, she turned around and yelled at others, accusing them of ‘kicking her seat’, prosecutor Ashleigh Ettienne said.
Baker ‘started to try and have a conversation with those seated around her, speaking very loudly, slurring her words.
When passengers tried to intervene, she shouted at them: ‘I will be going back to my big house and you will be going back to your council houses.’
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‘When other passengers did not respond, she told one: ‘F*ck you then.’
The prosecutor added: ‘Her partner tried to calm her down, at which point she got in his face and shouted: “What the f*ck did you say.”
‘She is then seen to assault her partner by trying to headbutt him and elbowing him a few times, and punching him.
‘He has then put his arms up to protect himself and he has had to call for assistance from cabin staff.’
Baker moved to the back of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and was told by flight attendants to calm down.
Miss Ettienne said: ‘She then continued to shout at other passengers. When a passenger told her to shut up, she responded: ‘Oh f*ck off then.’
Baker then yelled at passenger Jodie Tristram: ‘You are a cocky b****. Look at that ugly b****, who does she think she is, Cruella de Ville?’
Miss Ettienne added: ‘Police entered when the aircraft landed. Cabin crew stated that during the flight, she consumed 15 cans of wine.
‘The defendant stated she was ordering the cans for herself and her partner’s family, but cabin crew noticed she was keeping the cans to herself.’
Miss Ettienne said fellow passengers ‘were left terrified’ throughout the nine-hour flight.
Baker, of Lincoln, East Midlands, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court and admitted being drunk on an aircraft, racially aggravated harassment and using threatening or abusive words to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
She denied but was convicted of assault by beating.
Sucheta Rose, defending, asked for a community order and said she will give mitigation at a sentencing hearing at Isleworth Crown Court on November 12.
Magistrate Rex Da Rocha released Baker on unconditional bail until 12 November.
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