A MAN went on an abusive tirade on a Bournemouth-bound flight after getting drunk to cope with his fear of flying, a court heard.

Mark Warne attempted to calm his nerves by drinking at the airport in Barcelona following a weekend away with friends.

He got into such a state that cabin crew onboard the Ryanair flight home to Bournemouth refused to serve him alcohol.

The 47-year-old, of Drake Close, New Milton, then launched into an aggressive rant, telling a female flight attendant to '**** off' and at one point squaring up to her.

He continued to hurl insults at staff, telling them to 'go **** themselves' and that they were '****ing nothing'.

One air hostess was left in tears by Warne's drunken behaviour.

The pilot radioed air traffic control and the police were called to Bournemouth Airport.

Officers boarded the plane after it landed, put Warne in handcuffs and led him out of the cabin in front of all the other passengers.

The demolition machine operator pleaded guilty to one count of behaving in a threatening, abusive, insulting or disorderly manner when he appeared at magistrates in Poole.

Bournemouth Echo:

Warne's 'appalling' act occurred during the Queen's funeral on September 19. Nicola Reece, prosecuting, told Poole Magistrates’ Court: "On September 19, police were called by air traffic control after receiving reports of a disruptive and abusive character.

"The flight had come from Barcelona. It was explained that when the defendant boarded he had clearly been drinking.

"They (cabin crew) refused to serve him any alcohol. He was not happy about that. He repeatedly told them to **** off. He told them to go **** themselves and said 'you are ****ing nothing'.

"At one point he got up close to one of the air crew. His behaviour left one of the stewardesses in tears."

Philomena Murphy, mitigating, said Warne had gotten drunk at the airport in Spain to cope with his fear of flying and “could not understand how he got into such a state”.

She said he deeply regretted his actions and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Ms Murphy said: "Putting this matter into context, he had been away with friends for the weekend and had taken alcohol at the airport.

"The reason for that was that one of his fears is flying. One of the ways he deals with that is drinking.

"This isn't a man who usually behaves in this nature. It is simply out of character. He cannot understand how he got himself into that state."

Fiona McKenna, the presiding magistrate, described Warne's behaviour as 'appalling' and told him to find a better way of dealing with his phobia.

She said: "These people are looking after you on a plane and they have to deal with that. You have got to think about another way of dealing with your fear of flying.

"These people are going to work to do a good job and they should not be having to deal with that."

Warne was ordered to pay £687 which included a £430 fine, £85 court costs, and a £172 victim surcharge.

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