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Drunk Jet2 passenger 'ruined holidays' of 300 passengers with what he said to crew

Jason Mulhern, 57, forced a Jet2 flight to Dalaman in Turkey to be cancelled at Manchester Airport after he became abusive to cabin crew during a drunken tirade, a court heard

[Jason Mulhern]

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Jason Mulhern, 57, was abusive towards cabin crew, the court heard(Image: Manchester Evening News)

A Jet2 passenger launched a drunken tirade which forced the flight with 300 passengers to be cancelled.

Jason Mulhern, 57, and his wife were on a plane at Manchester Airport heading to Dalaman in Turkey on June 22, 2024, when he became abusive.

Manchester Crown Court was told that first the defendant's wife made a comment about a fellow passenger's accent before he joined in and began 'shouting', reports Manchester Evening News.

Cabin staff then spoke to them both and they were told they would not be served alcohol, leading Mulhern, of Trafford, to become 'aggressive, defensive and angry', said the prosecution.

[ Mulhern]

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Mulhern's behaviour led to a flight being cancelled(Image: Manchester Evening News)

He told staff they were 'out of order', that he and his wife were 'on their holidays' and wanted to 'booze up'. They were spoken to again, with a warning from the captain that they would be removed if they continued, after which they 'disgruntledly' accepted the situation.

However, as the plane began to taxi to the runway, Mulhern shouted at one of the crew that she was a 'f***ing Nazi and a c***'. He added that 'he was an adult and could do as he wished'.

Betsy Hindle, prosecuting, said that the 20-year-old crew member felt so uncomfortable and intimidated that she moved seats while the plane was taxiing. "The defendant was saying: 'You can't call anyone a c*** these days, even when they are being one. If I want to call you a c***, I will'. He also said all the crew were Nazis," Ms Hindle said.

The court heard the captain was informed, who then made the decision to have Mulhern and his partner removed, to the applause from other passengers. As a result, the flight was abandoned and had to return to the stand, and the police were called. The court heard that the flight had already been delayed for two hours.

Mulhern was spoken to by officers on board, and was described as slurring his words and speaking over them. As they explained that he had committed an offence, he replied: "Oh f*** off", before telling them: "I can say whatever I want, it's a free county. If I think you're a Nazi, I'll say it."

"As a result of this, the aircraft was significantly delayed and cancelled altogether due to restrictions on safe flying hours. Three hundred passengers had to disembark and decontrol through security. Accommodation and meals had to be sought for those on the flight. Also 300 passengers in Turkey were affected, who were due to return to Manchester on that same plane," Ms Hindle told the court.

The court heard that various statements were taken from passengers. One described Mulhern as 'obviously drunk', and being 'verbally abusive'. Another said they heard him say to staff: "I don't understand why I can't have a drink like a f***ing adult'.

Ms Hindle said Jet2 have said they will be seeing a civil claim to the amount of 44,710, which includes costs of hotels and delays.

Lisa Judge, defending, urged the court to consider the case to be at the 'lowest level of culpability' due to the lack of violence. She accepted that Mulhern and his wife had been drinking prior to the flight, and said the flight had already been delayed.

"This was the use of language only," she said. She said his character references showed him to be an important person in his team, who was 'responsible and mature'. She also said his previous service in the Armed Forces had left him 'self-medicating' with alcohol.

"Nobody was forcing you to drink. There was no need to drink, that was a choice you took," Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said. "Your conduct caused the plane to be delayed again. Your conduct alone was responsible for the loss of that day's flight. A flight that everyone's holidays had to be deferred, everyone had to make alternative arrangements, everyone had to be put up in hotels.

"You ruined or potentially ruined every other person's holiday who boarded that flight. That was the impact of your single behaviour."

Judge Nicholls told Mulhern, who was supported by his wife in the public gallery: "What you did was quite frankly despicable. It caused chaos and distress to a large number of people. I hope you now understand the consequences of your behaviour."

Mulhern, of Jewel Close, Urmston, was handed eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He must also complete five days of rehabilitation activity requirements, a 120-day alcohol abstinence order and 300 hours unpaid work, and must pay 500 in court costs. The court heard he also has a lifelong ban from travelling with Jet2.

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