Prison for air-rage flier who wanted to go business class

A middle-aged man has been jailed after marching into the business-class section of a flight from Thailand and hurling a passenger into the aisle so he could take his seat.

Edward Gough, 54, who had been drinking in economy class, had to be restrained by fellow passengers on the Eva Air flight from Bangkok to London in November 2006. Gough, a mechanic, who said he was devastated by what he had done, was given a six-month jail sentence after admitting three charges of common assault on a passenger and members of the crew.

Isleworth Crown Court was told that he had been taking prescribed diazepam as well as drinking, and could not recall a thing about the attack.

Simon Gruchy, for Gough, said that the defendant had no memory of his behaviour. He told the court: “This is a man who was devastated when faced with the reality of what he did.”