A Virgin Atlantic passenger has been jailed for violently attacking her partner after drinking 16 cans of wine on board a flight.
Karen Baker, a 59-year-old hairdresser and mother-of-two, assaulted partner Steven White during a nine-hour Virgin Atlantic flight from Miami to London Heathrow earlier this year.
Passengers who witnessed the ordeal described it as a “terrifying” experience.
Isleworth Crown Court heard that the couple became embroiled in a heated argument after Baker “started to try and have a conversation with those seated around her, speaking very loudly, slurring her words”.
Karen Baker assaulted partner Steven White during a nine-hour Virgin Atlantic flight from Miami to London Heathrow
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PAThe 59-year-old told one passenger “f*** you then” after they did not respond to her.
Prosecutor Thomas Blackburn said that after Mr White attempted to calm his partner down, Baker was “seen to assault her partner by trying to headbutt him and elbowing him a few times, and punching him”.
Passengers attempted to step in to prevent the violent assault, prompting Baker to tell them: “I will be going back to my big house and you will be going back to your council houses”.
The 59-year-old lives in a three-bedroom house in Lincoln, estimated to be worth £200,000.
Baker was convicted of assault by beating at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday
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PABaker was convicted of assault by beating on Wednesday and sentenced to three months behind bars.
The mother-of-two also admitted to being drunk on an aircraft, racially aggravated harassment and using threatening or abusive words to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
The prosecutor said that on February 9, Baker began shouting at other passengers, accusing them of repeatedly kicking her seat during the flight.
Mr Blackburn said that she “started to try and have a conversation with those seated around her, speaking very loudly and slurring her words”.
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He said: “Her partner tried to calm her down at which point she got in his face and shouted: “What the f*** did you say?
“She is then seen to assault her partner by trying to headbutt him and elbowing him a few times, and punching him.
“He has then put his arms up to protect himself and he has had to call for assistance from cabin staff.”
Baker was escorted to the rear of the aircraft, with flight attendants instructing her to calm down.
The prosecutor said that after police arrived onto the aircraft after the flight landed at London Heathrow, cabin crew members informed officers that she had consumed 16 cans of wine.
Mr Blackburn added: “The defendant stated she was ordering the cans for herself and her partner’s family but cabin crew noticed she was keeping the cans to herself.”
At Isleworth Crown Court, Judge Sunaina Kaur Srai-Chohan told Baker: “This was a prolonged, abusive and violent display of behaviour within the confines of an aeroplane, putting you, the other passengers and the cabin crew at risk.
“The safety of passengers and crew are put in jeopardy when incidents like this occur. The consequences can be catastrophic.”
