Drunk holidaymaker, 26, assaulted a police officer called to get him off a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Portugal after drinking duty-free vodka
- Ashley Crutchley, 26, was ‘excited’ when he drank a bottle of vodka during the flight
- He then ‘shunde’ a police officer who had the plane to remove him
- Crutchley, from Manchester, pleaded guilty to offense and was fined £300
A passenger flying with Ryanair assaulted a police officer after being thrown off his flight for being drunk.
Ashley Crutchley, 26, had had a bottle of vodka on the plane to Portugal after getting too ‘excited’ about his first holiday in more than a decade.
But the Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard the plane’s captain become so concerned about Crutchley’s “disruptive” behavior that he requested police assistance before the flight departed.
Paul Sumner, prosecutor, said the defendant had refused to leave the plane “because he was drunk” and had argued with the crew.
Officers boarded to get him off the plane, before Crutchley protested and “shunted” an officer during the ensuing fight.
“The officers could tell right away that he was drunk,” Sumner added.
Crutchley, of Manchester, pleaded guilty to charges of being drunk on an airplane and assaulting a rescuer.
He was fined over £300 today after admitting to both offences.
Ashley Crutchley, 26 and from Manchester, had had a bottle of vodka on the plane to Portugal after getting too ‘excited’ about his first holiday in over a decade
Crutchley was pictured Thursday before Manchester Magistrates’ Court, where he was fined more than £300 after admitting to being drunk on a plane and assaulting a rescuer.
The incident happened around 8pm on 10 July this year on board a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Portugal.
Before leaving the flight, Crutchley told an officer to “take his luggage,” the court heard.
They were handed a bottle of vodka, a third of which was empty, and realized Crutchley had bought it tax-free.
He then shunts an officer with his shoulder or forearm as he was led away. He also shouted, “Come on mate, come on buddy.”
The Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how the captain of the Ryanair plane became so concerned about Crutchley’s “disruptive” behavior that he requested police assistance before the flight took off. [File image]
The officers managed to grab him and escort him out of the plane into a waiting police van.
They returned to remove Crutchley’s friend who “hadn’t been disturbing,” Mr Sumner said, as the passengers erupted into applause.
Rodrigues Landu, defensively, said Crutchley was “really apologetic” about what happened and admits the alcohol “exceeded” him.
“He loved going on vacation because he hadn’t been on vacation in 11 years,” he said.
Mr Landu added that the attack was “an act of recklessness” but “minor”, and the officer was not injured.
Crutchley was fined £320, costs of £85 and a casualty allowance of £128.