Plane Passenger Had to Be Removed by Ambulift After ‘Alarming’ Behavior Forced Pilot to Abort Landing
NEED TO KNOW
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Stephen Blofield, 61, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for aggressive behavior and being intoxicated on a Ryanair flight in November
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His actions, including refusing to sit and being verbally abusive, forced the pilot to abort the landing
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Authorities said Blofield’s intoxication posed a safety risk and he was removed from the plane using an ambulift
A plane passenger has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for exhibiting extremely aggressive behavior during a Ryanair flight in November.
The passenger was traveling from Krakow, Poland, to Bristol, England, when the incident occurred, according to a Tuesday, April 7, news release from the Avon and Somerset Police. The U.K. police unit has a team based at Bristol Airport at all times, the airport’s website states.
Stephen Blofield, 61, pleaded guilty to a number of charges in February, including being intoxicated during the flight, police said. He was later sentenced to 10 months in prison at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday, April 7. He also has to pay a “victim surcharge of £187 [about $250],” police said.
Stephen Blofield
Credit: Avon and Somerset Police
In addition to intoxication, Blofield was charged with “behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting, disorderly manner towards a member of aircraft crew,” as well as “abusive words or behavior likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress,” police said.
In a statement shared in the release, Bristol Airport policing team inspector Christian Gresswell said the man’s actions forced the plane’s initial landing to be aborted as he “continued to be verbally abusive towards cabin crew” and refused to sit down and fasten his seatbelt.
“He was met by officers at Bristol Airport once the flight had safely landed,” Gresswell added.
The man was also charged with “failing to obey lawful commands of a pilot.”
In the hearing at Bristol Crown Court, prosecutor Ian Fenny said the passenger’s behavior was “so alarming and potentially dangerous” even after the plane landed that he had to be removed using an ambulift, the BBC and The Independent report. The specialized vehicle is normally used to safely transport disabled passengers, per the outlets.
Fenny added that as Blofield was being handcuffed by police, he almost struck a nearby passenger.
Image of a Ryanair plane in 2018
Credit: JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty
The man started drinking at the airport in Poland to calm his anxiety before the flight and continued to drink on the plane, per the BBC.
“Passengers have a duty for safety reasons to make sure they are fit enough to fly and not intoxicated,” Gresswell added in the Avon and Somerset Police news release after Blofield’s sentencing.
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“An intoxicated passenger can pose an unacceptable risk to safety, and that’s why we take the offense so seriously,” the statement added. “We will continue to work closely with airport staff and airlines to keep passengers and crew safe at all times.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Ryanair and Bristol Airport for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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