Plane passenger knocked out man's tooth in row over Man United shirt then bit police officer

Adam Whittingham was like 'some kind of wild animal loose on board the aircraft', cabin supervisor says

Adam Whittingham's behaviour was 'some kind of wild animal loose on board the aircraft’, court told. (Greater Manchester Police)

A man who knocked out a fellow Ryanair passenger’s tooth in a row over a Manchester United shirt, before biting a police officer, has been jailed.

Adam Whittingham was seen drinking from a bottle of whiskey he had bought in duty free, before he began attacking staff and other passengers on the flight from Morocco to Manchester on 9 February.

The 32-year old initially began a friendly conversation with another passenger about football because he was wearing a Manchester United shirt, police said.

However, he soon became abusive and pushed one of the flight attendants before grabbing items from their trolley when they asked him to sit down.

Wittingham then punched the man sitting next to him and knocked his tooth out. He also assaulted three other passengers.

When the plane arrived at Manchester airport, police officers rushed onto the aircraft to detain him.

Wittingham then rugby tackled one of them, before biting him on the side of his chest and drawing blood.

He was then detained with handcuffs and leg restraints before being removed from the plane.

He later claimed that he was so drunk he could not recall the incident.

Appearing at Minshull Street Crown Court on Friday, Wittingham pleaded guilty to affray and assaulting a police officer. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Comparing him to “some kind of wild animal loose on board the aircraft”, the flight's cabin supervisor told the court that Whittingham’s behaviour was the worst he had seen from a passenger in his 10-year career.

Speaking after the verdict Detective Constable Mark Atkinson called his behaviour "appalling".

He said Whittingham was "violent towards those passengers unfortunate enough to be sat near him, as well as cabin crew who made every possible attempt to reason with him as the flight continued."

He added: "Today his drunken, loutish behaviour has resulted in a jail sentence and he now has a long time to consider and rectify his despicable behaviour.”