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Passengers on a British Airways flight from Los Angeles to London Heathrow were left stunned after a 51-year-old man had to be handcuffed to his seat for threatening fellow travellers. According to a report by Metro, the incident occurred on May 23 during a 10-hour flight when Simon Jones became increasingly agitated and disruptive. His erratic behaviour reportedly began even before takeoff, as he was seen loudly clapping and shouting during the pre-flight checks. Cabin staff tried to calm him down, but Jones continued to abuse the crew and fellow passengers. Prosecutor Ashleigh Ettienne told Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, “He was approached and spoken to about his behaviour by cabin crew; however, he started to shout saying ‘can I have a f****** glass’, ‘give me a glass for my f****** drink’.” Threats To Fellow Passengers Jones repeatedly got up to use the lavatory and began shouting at the passenger seated next to him. When asked to stop swearing, he allegedly threatened the individual, saying he would “put that into your f***ing face” if touched again. He also sat on the emergency exit door despite repeated warnings and got into heated arguments with the crew, forcing the captain to authorise his restraint. According to GB News, Jones was then handcuffed to his seat and remained restrained until the flight landed. Disrupted Flight And Consequences Prosecutor Ettienne stated that the captain ordered the crew to stop serving Jones alcohol after he became visibly agitated, gritting his teeth and pacing around the cabin. The crew was then instructed to check on him every 15 minutes, which severely disrupted their ability to attend to other passengers during the flight. Furthermore, Jones’ defence lawyer, Gurbinder Tamana, explained that he suffers from bipolar disorder and had not been taking his medication at the time. She added, “During that time in his life, he was having a difficult time… he states he wasn’t taking his medication as he should have. He has new medication that has been prescribed now. He’s working now as well and that’s in a bar. This is really completely out of character for him.” Here’s What The Court Said Judge Kathryn Verghis sentenced Jones to a 12-month community order, including 150 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days. He was also banned from international travel for six months and ordered to pay 400 pounds (Rs 46,748) in costs, a 114 pounds (Rs 13,323) surcharge, and £150 (Rs 17,530) compensation to the affected passenger. The judge described his behaviour as sustained and unacceptable, causing major disruption to both crew and passengers.
