A DRUNKEN holiday-maker who caused a transatlantic plane to be diverted to Bermuda has been jailed.

Grant Smith, 36, was abusive and aggressive towards cabin crew after drinking heavily before and after he boarded a delayed flight from Manchester to the Dominican Republic, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Smith, of Slaidburn Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to drunkenness on an aircraft before his trial started. A charge of interfering with staff and cabin crew was withdrawn.

Prosecutor Adam Lodge said that Smith, was one of several passengers whose bad behaviour caused the plane to be diverted to Bermuda but the only one to be charged with any offence.

The court heard that Smith, who was accompanied by his girlfriend and another couple, consumed alcohol he carried onto the Thomson Airways 133 flight on New Year’s Eve last year, which took off after a three-hour delay.

Mr Lodge said that problems began an hour into the flight when air steward Tim Burrows’ wallet was taken by some of the 253 passengers and thrown around the cabin of the Boeing 767.

Smith retrieved the wallet and handed it back to Mr Burrows, but became abusive calling him a “poof” and demanding food, the court heard.

He told Mr Burrows he had “shown him up” and received an apology from him, Mr Lodge said.

Smith also got into an argument with his friend, before being issued with two formal warning letters by the captain, which he ripped up.

Mr Lodge said: “He was also found by a door, saying, ‘I’m not sure what I’ll do, I’ll ... kill somebody’, or words to that effect.”

Smith and six other passengers were removed from the aircraft when it landed in Bermuda. Mr Lodge said the incident cost the airline around £50,000.

Jon Oultram, defending, said his client admitted calling Mr Burrows “a poof” but denied it was expressed as a homophobic comment.

He said: “It’s a phrase that’s used in some areas less for comment on someone’s sexuality but more on the way they’re behaving.”

Mr Oultram said Smith, a single father whose teenage daughter was expecting a child, had gone on holiday to “get away from everything at home” following the death of a close friend.

He said Smith was not the only rowdy passenger and was subjected to threats by a group of passengers from Liverpool.

Mr Oultram said: “On sober reflection he accepts he handled it badly. If it hadn’t been for the fact he was drunk much, or all, of what happened would not have taken place.”

Judge Elgan Edwards told Smith, who was jailed for ten and a half months: “Passengers and crew travelling on aircraft are entitled to do so without being confronted by drunken behaviour carried out by people like yourself.”

Judge Edwards said homophobic comments were “not acceptable” and said he hoped to see Smith banned from flying with the airline.

A Thomson spokesman said: “Thomson Airways is satisfied with the outcome of this court hearing.

“The safety of all our customers and crew is our number one priority and Thomson Airways operates a zero tolerance policy with regard to abusive or drunken behaviour on its flights.

“Mr Smith’s actions on the flight from Manchester to the Dominican Republic were not only reckless and dangerous but caused a huge amount of disruption and distress to the other passengers.”