Man fined for abusing easyJet crew over alcohol refusal

A 44-year-old man from near Houghton-le-Spring has been fined for becoming abusive toward cabin crew on an easyJet flight from Bristol to Newcastle in February 2024 after being refused alcohol service due to appearing intoxicated.

Anthony Morrison-Taylor, of Cellar Hill Close in Newbottle Village, pleaded guilty to a public order offense at Newcastle Magistrates Court. The incident occurred during a period of turbulence as the aircraft approached its destination. According to court proceedings, Morrison-Taylor demanded alcohol from an air steward, who explained the refusal based on his condition. When the steward repeated the reason, Morrison-Taylor responded, "You can all f off, I'm getting alcohol and there's nothing you can do about it," and added, "You are all a bunch of."

The steward, responsible for passenger safety, contacted police via air traffic control while the plane was in flight. Officers arrested Morrison-Taylor immediately upon landing at Newcastle Airport. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the steward described feeling shocked by the confrontation. "That's all I was doing," he said, referring to his duty to ensure safety. He noted that such...