A man who spent nine years abroad to evade justice for a brutal assault was jailed after he became drunk on a return flight to Wales and subjected a flight attendant to racially and sexually offensive language.
Ryan McHugh, 37, of Round Wood, Llanedeyrn, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday for sentencing. He had pleaded guilty to entering an aircraft when drunk or being drunk in an aircraft, intentionally interfering with the performance of an aircraft crew member's duty, wounding with intent, and failing to surrender to custody.
Disorderly behaviour on flight from Portugal
The court heard that in August this year, McHugh was on a plane from Faro in Portugal to Cardiff. Upon entering the aircraft he appeared intoxicated, was swaying, and seemed to be drinking from a Coca-Cola bottle. He began recording a voice note loudly and was obnoxious before his behaviour became "unruly and frightening".
Prosecutor Ruth Smith said McHugh looked at a flight attendant's name badge and said: "I know your name. I'm going to stalk you and find you on Facebook." He began drinking alcohol he had purchased before the flight, which he was prohibited from doing, and was told to stop but continued to behave unpredictably.
Around 90 minutes into the flight, McHugh went to the toilet and gestured for a flight attendant to join him inside, attempting to keep the door open as staff tried to close it. He returned to his seat but remained loud and disorderly. When the seatbelt signs came on, he did not fasten his belt and gestured for a flight attendant to do it for him.
Assault and arrest
As the crew prepared for landing, McHugh took his belt off, fidgeted, and lifted his shirt to expose his torso and chest. He then got up to use the toilet while staff were carrying out safety duties. He was told to sit down but was sexually suggestive towards a flight attendant and aggressive, telling her he was "wanted by the police". As he returned to his seat, he attempted to "fist bump" the flight attendant and used a racial slur. He was arrested when the plane landed at Cardiff Airport.
The court also heard details of the 2017 offence. On February 14, 2017, McHugh invited the victim, a friend who had loaned him money, into his car with others and offered to pay back the remainder. During the journey he drove erratically due to intoxication. When the victim asked him to stop, he shouted at her, told her to "shut her f****** mouth", and called her a "psycho". After stopping, he dragged her out of the car by her right arm, punched her to the face three or four times, and kicked her to the face and head several times. The victim believed she lost consciousness momentarily. She was treated at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for stitches to her head and swelling to her lip and jaw.
McHugh was arrested for the assault but absconded from the UK shortly after. He spent the following years in Spain and Portugal. In mitigation, Hannah Friedman said her client had decided to return to the UK to surrender himself and knew he would be arrested at passport control. She said the journey was difficult for him and he began drinking due to anxiety, and that he was "remorseful" to the flight crew. While abroad, the father-of-two established a successful business which will continue with the help of his brother.
Sentencing, Judge Eugene Egan said: "You were contained in a small tube in the sky... A small incident may result in catastrophic consequences which might not be foreseen." McHugh was sentenced to a total of 20 months imprisonment. The court heard he has five previous convictions for offences including wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon, and robbery.
