Man who hurled abuse at EasyJet crew and bit policeman avoids jail
Labourer, 44, who hurled racist abuse at EasyJet crew and bit police officer is fined £900 but avoids prison
- Kieran Croxley of Southwark pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates Court
- He was sentenced to 16 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
- He was also fined and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work
A labourer, who shouted racist abuse at the crew of an easyJet plane and later bit a policeman and gouged the arm of another officer, has been spared jail by magistrates.
Kieran Croxley, of Howell Walk, Southwark, London, pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court to threatening or abusive behaviour, threatening behaviour towards aircraft crew and three counts of assault on an emergency worker.
The 44-year-old was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay a £900 fine, £450 costs and a total of £325 in compensation to the officers he assaulted.
Kieran Croxley, of Howell Walk, Southwark, London, pleaded guilty at Crawley Magistrates’ Court to threatening or abusive behaviour, threatening behaviour towards aircraft crew on the Easyjet flight (Croxley pictured above) and three counts of assault on an emergency worker
Croxley became agitated and angry at the end of a flight from Faro to Gatwick Airport in May. When told to sit down and put on his seat belt as the plane came in to land, he began swearing at the cabin crew.
He apparently forced his way to the back of the plane and into the cubicle despite protests from staff, where he reportedly locked himself in for ten minutes.
By the time Easyjet staff got him out, the captain was forced to abort the landing, and then spent an extra 40 minutes in the air and on the runway, onlookers said.
When police boarded the aircraft to escort Croxley off and to a police station, he bit one officer and attacked two others.
Croxley is bundled off the Easyjet flight by three policemen. Passengers say the man was ‘quiet all the flight’ from Faro, Portugal to Gatwick, until the seatbelt signs came on, and he demanded to go to the toilet
‘Having been asked to sit down and put his seatbelt on as the aircraft prepared to land, the defendant became aggressive towards cabin crew. He also used a number of expletives, of which some were racially aggravated,’ a spokesperson for Sussex Police said.
‘Police attended the aircraft. The officers asked him to follow them, at which point he again became abusive and started swearing. As they attempted to arrest him, Croxley bit one officer’s hand and dug his nails into the arm of another, causing the skin to break. While being transported into custody, he attempted to bite a third officer,’ the spokesperson added.
Croxley was arrested as part of Project Disrupt, an annual campaign run by Sussex Police to combat drunken and disruptive behaviour.
Inspector James Biggs, of the Gatwick Prevention Team, said: ‘This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable.
As they attempted to arrest him at Gatwick Airport, Croxley bit one officer’s hand and dug his nails into the arm of another, causing the skin to break. While being transported into custody, he attempted to bite a third officer
‘No member of aircraft crew, nor their passengers, should have to experience such abuse. Nor should any emergency worker expect to be assaulted for simply carrying out their duties.
‘This case should serve as a reminder to passengers of their responsibilities before they board an aircraft.
‘Incidents of drunken and disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated, and anyone who compromises this will be dealt with robustly.’
Source: Read Full Article