Emirates' 'worst ever air-rage passenger’ jailed after abusing cabin crew and biting police officer
Jasbir Singh Bharaj, 46, was drunk and disorderly on a flight from Dubai to Birmingham
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Your support makes all the difference.An air passenger has been jailed after displaying the "worst in-flight behaviour cabin crew have ever seen", a court heard.
Jasbir Singh Bharaj, 46, had been on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Birmingham in September 2014, when he launched a tirade of drunken abuse, made sexually explicit gestures to a female member of staff and bit a police officer when they tried to arrest him.
Bharaj, from Leicester, was labeled the ‘worst passenger ever encountered’ by an Emirates flight attendant and found guilty of drunkenness on an aircraft, criminal damage, racially aggravated words and behaviour and common assault.
He was sentenced to a total of 11 months in jail at Birmingham Crown Court for his actions, the Birmingham Mail reported.
Prosecutor William Dudley told the court Bharaj caused an estimated £2,643 worth of damage to an in-flight entertainment console, and referred to police as “white w*****s” and “white b*****s”.
He also made several other racist comments as part of an expletive-filled tirade.
Judge Burbridge QC described how Bharaj had drunk vodka mixed with wine before proceeding to abuse cabin staff.
He said he had demanded more alcohol and swore repeatedly even though there were four young children behind him.
The judge also said that Bharaj had told a female member of cabin crew he would "punch her in the face", before, "in a particularly grotesque piece of behaviour", dipping his fingers in a glass of wine and rubbing them on his private parts.
“The air hostess felt abused and disgusted after seeing you touch yourself in such a sexually explicit way," Judge Burbridge QC said.
He also told the court Bharaj had made derogatory remarks about "Muslims" and "Isis" and said that once the plane had landed, he was abusive to police and bit PC Ingram on the arm.
Satvir Aujla, defending, said Bharaj had been suffering from “considerable ill health” and his relationships with his first wife and new girlfriend had broken down.
“He is ashamed and remorseful for his actions,” said Mr Aujla.
But Judge Burbridge QC explained his reasons for imposing a custodial sentence. “People need to know that if you get drunk on an airplane, upset other passengers and cause cabin crew to have a difficult job then custodial sentences should apply," he said.
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