Philip Gould, 64, admitted sexual assault and being drunk on a BA flight from the Bahamas to London Heathrow when he assaulted his wife and threatened to kill cabin crew
Philip Gould, 64, claimed the combination of wine and vodka ‘had sent him over the edge’ (Image: Central News)
A married businessman who slapped his wife and tried to snog a British Airways flight attendant while drunk has been jailed for 14 months.
Philip Gould, 64, knocked back vodka and wine on the BA service from the Bahamas to London Heathrow on June 25 last year before attacking his wife Jurkea and abusing cabin staff.
He had been returning from a posh getaway in Grand Cayman – but when refused additional alcohol on the aircraft, he bizarrely propositioned a male flight attendant, suggesting he could escort him “to the toilet” for a sexual encounter.
Gould repeatedly hurled expletives at cabin crew before charging towards the cockpit entrance and began furiously yelling at the pilot. Gould previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault, behaving in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft and being intoxicated on an aircraft.
Judge Fiona Barrie sentenced him to 14 months in jail.
Ashleigh Ettienne, prosecuting, previously stated: “After three hours into the flight, the defendant appeared to be drunk and cabin crew was made aware. Ten minutes later he approached the cockpit and started banging on the door and was seen shouting at cabin crew, the captain and passengers.
“Cabin crew deemed his actions a serious safety issue so they positioned themselves between the flight deck door and the defendant. The defendant pushed a cabin crew member in his chest with his arm which caused him to stumble back and bump into a passenger.”
BA staff alerted the pilot and told Gould to calm down, which only aggravated him more.
Gould then screamed at cabin crew: “I’ll kill you. There are not enough people on the plane to restrain me” before he slapped his wife and grabbed her by the hair.
When a panicked air hostess tried to intervene, Gould shouted at her: “Why are you talking to my wife, you are a sl**. You’re pretty”.
He then “stood up and put his arms around her and while doing so, he kissed a male flight attendant on the right cheek, followed by nibbling on his ear”, Ms Ettienne added.
The prosecutor said: “The defendant’s escalating behaviour was frightening and he became a serious safety issue.”
The intoxicated passenger eventually nodded off but was arrested at Heathrow when the Boeing 777-200 twinjet landed.
Gould earlier claimed the combination of wine and vodka “had sent him over the edge.”
Manny Arora, defending, earlier said Gould suffers from PTSD and was ‘remorseful’.
He said: “He accepts he consumed some vodka. But when he entered the aircraft, he was not intoxicated.”
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