A drunk woman who was abusive to cabin crew and passengers after she locked herself in a plane toilet with a litre bottle of VODKA and cigarettes has been jailed for 10 months.
Marsha Woodwart was confronted by Thomson Airways staff 30 minutes into her flight from Heraklion Airport in Crete to Birmingham on July 19 last year.
A court heard cabin crew on board the Boeing 757 found the 41-year-old collapsed on the toilet floor after removing the door when they spotted smoke.
She had locked herself inside the bathroom to smoke a cigarette and down alcohol from a bottle of vodka she had bought in duty free.
Woodwart refused to leave the loo and had to be restrained after she became aggressive and racially abusive towards flight attendants and other passengers.
She was arrested on arrival at Birmingham International Airport and later charged with being drunk on an aircraft as well as racially-aggravated harassment and assault.
Woodwart, of Cheltenham, Glos., pleaded guilty to four charges and was jailed for 10 months at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.
Speaking after the hearing, Suzanne Llewellyn, head of West Midlands CPS’s Crown Court Unit, said: “Marsha Woodwart’s behaviour on a passenger flight was not only illegal and dangerous, but it must have been extremely distressing to her fellow passengers, which would have included young children.
“Before you board your flight and once you have entered the aircraft, all passengers are reminded that it is strictly prohibited to smoke on the airplane.
“Woodwart ignored these instructions, locked herself in the toilet, began to smoke a cigarette and consume alcohol from a bottle which she had purchased from duty free.
“In her inebriated state, she refused to exit the toilet which resulted in the cabin crew having to remove her and, due to her aggressive behaviour, restrain her.
“Even when she was restrained, she continued to lash out at the crew and she became racially abusive towards some of her fellow passengers.
“We hope this prosecution sends out a clear message that this type of behaviour on passenger flights will not be tolerated.
“Those who commit such offences and put an aircraft and its passengers in danger will be robustly prosecuted.”
