A Virgin Atlantic flight attendant has been arrested in Florida for allegedly pushing a teenage girl who tried to cut ahead of him in line for a ride at Disney World. Keith Newman, 47, from Lemington, Newcastle, was taken into custody following the incident on February 20 at Orlando's Magic Kingdom theme park.
The incident occurred while Newman was waiting in the queue for Tiana's Bayou Adventure ride. An 18-year-old girl and her friend attempted to bypass him, claiming they were trying to catch up with friends ahead in line. Newman refused to let them pass.
According to reports, one of the teens tried to go around Newman, and he allegedly pushed her back with both hands, causing her to fall into her friend. Newman denied the accusation, telling police that the girl walked into his hand.
Newman was arrested on battery charges but has pleaded not guilty. He returned to the UK after being released on $1,000 bail. If convicted, he could face a fine or up to a year in jail.
The father of the girl criticised Newman's actions as 'inexcusable,' stating, 'I hope this sends a message that it's never OK to put your hands on someone else except for self-defense, especially somebody a lot younger than you.'
