A drunk passenger's foul-mouthed outburst towards cabin crew resulted in more than 300 holidaymakers having their plans 'ruined' after a Jet2 flight was cancelled.
Jason Mulhern, 57, and his wife were preparing to fly to Dalaman in Turkey from Manchester Airport on June 22, 2024, when she made a remark about another passenger's accent.
When he joined in and started 'shouting', cabin staff approached them both, following which they were informed they would not be served alcohol. Mulhern, from Trafford, then became 'aggressive, defensive and angry', Manchester Crown Court was told.
Abusive outburst on the tarmac
He informed staff they were 'out of order', that he and his wife were 'on their holidays' and wanted to 'booze up'. They received another warning, with the captain cautioning they would be removed if their behaviour persisted, after which they 'disgruntledly' accepted the circumstances, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Yet as the aircraft started taxiing towards the runway, Mulhern yelled 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, explained that the 20-year-old crew member felt so uncomfortable and intimidated that she changed 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.
Flight cancelled, 300 passengers stranded
The court was told the captain was notified, who subsequently decided to eject Mulhern and his partner from the aircraft, prompting cheers from fellow travellers. Consequently, the departure was scrapped and forced to taxi back to the gate, with police summoned.
The hearing learnt the service had already been running two hours behind schedule. Officers spoke with Mulhern aboard the plane, noting he was slurring and constantly interrupting them. When they outlined that he'd committed an offence, he responded: "Oh f*** off", before declaring: "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 three hundred passengers in Turkey were affected, who were due to return to Manchester on that same plane," Ms Hindle told the court.
Sentence and lifelong ban
The hearing learnt that multiple witness accounts were gathered from travellers. One witness described Mulhern as 'obviously drunk', and being 'verbally abusive'. Another reported hearing him tell crew: "I don't understand why I can't have a drink like a f***ing adult."
Ms Hindle said Jet2 will be pursuing civil proceedings for £44,710, covering hotel expenses and disruption costs. 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 acknowledged that Mulhern and his wife had consumed alcohol before boarding, and noted the flight had already experienced delays.
"This was the use of language only," she said. She highlighted how his character references portrayed him as a valued member of his team, demonstrating qualities that were '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, received an eight-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months. In addition, he is required to undertake five days of rehabilitation activity requirements, a 120-day alcohol abstinence order and 300 hours of unpaid work, along with £500 in court costs. The court also heard that he has been handed a lifelong ban from travelling with Jet2.
